Putting our personal stamp on someone or something is the ultimate third-party validation tool. Personal referrals remain one of the most powerful tools in obtaining a job, finding the right contractor, and connecting with the right people. The question of referrals is whether to put our names behind someone or something, or not to?
Our Personal Stamp
We have all seen it before. One of our friends or acquaintances on social media posts the dreaded referral question. It generally looks something like this, “In need of a plumber, anyone know of a good, reasonably priced plumber?”
I used to reply quickly with a referral, hoping to help both the person in need of the service and the business that can provide the service. Not so much anymore.
Why? Because every referral of people, services, or products is an extension of my personal reputation. With that said, I want to make sure whoever or whatever I put my personal stamp on is solid.
Before pulling out our personal stamp, slow down and think about this:
The Referral
We generally refer business for two reasons, either because we have personal experience with the service or to help a person we know gain business.
The first reason, legit. Very few people refer services that they were unsatisfied with. On the flipside, that poor experience may be what they share instead. Not the best testament to prospective referrals.
The second reason, we need to think through. There is no doubt that when we refer someone to a person that we know, it is with the best of intentions. Good People desire for others to be successful.
The challenge comes when I put that personal stamp on it and the referral doesn’t come through. Unfortunately, I have made recommendations in the past and the individual was either unresponsive or delivered poor services. It caused me hesitancy in the future to refer them again. Also, it likely created hesitancy the next time the customer considered a recommendation of mine.
The Referee
Not to be confused with the person dressed as a zebra officiating a sporting event, this is the person that made the post seeking a referral…the referee.
The experience that inspired this post happened last week. I was scrolling through and a person was looking for one of those, “good, reasonably priced plumbers.” As my thumbs went into action in the comment section, I hesitated before putting my personal stamp on it.
I know a great plumber and fully intended to tag the person in the comment…then I thought about the referee. I have also watched this person rip into local restaurants for poor service, complain about the cost of certain goods and services, and is just a “Negative Nancy” in general.
Although I would have loved for the referral to gain the business, I believe they would have just gained a critic. The plumber I know is great, but that comes with an associated cost for services. Someone that set’s the bar at “reasonably priced” isn’t willing to pay for quality service; therefore, I didn’t connect the referee and the referral. It was not going to be in the best interest of the referral nor my reputation in providing referrals.
Conclusion – The Referral Giver
There is always a person behind our referrals. Whether it’s the referee or the referral, there is a person behind it. The absolute best connection that we can make is when we pair a good referee with a good referral. We provide a quality service to both individuals. Someone we care about gets their problem solved and on the other end, someone we care for grows their business.
The process multiplies exponentially from there. Solid referrals are the only legit pyramid scheme in this world.
One of the greatest complements that I receive as a leader is when someone doesn’t know what to do or who to call, so they call me. I take great pride in being that someone to people. Although I may not be able to help them directly, I try to get them to where they need to be.
It’s called being resourceful, being connected to the point you can help a lot of people, solve a lot of problems. It’s being willing to go the extra mile when called upon. It’s refreshing and appreciated by others.
In the end, we all receive Google reviews in life and leadership, they just aren’t posted online. Our five-star reviews are personally stamped on the hearts and minds of those we have delivered for in the past. It’s because we were willing to walk in when everyone else walked out. It’s because in their moment of need, we came through.
The ink on our stamp is most permanent when it’s most personal.
