Let’s be honest: **the hardest part of sales is not closing the deal… it’s prospecting. ** If you’ve ever worked in sales, you know the pain. The fear of rejection, the awkward silence, the voicemails that never get returned. It’s not for the faint-hearted. That’s why most salespeople would rather polish their desks than pick up the phone for a cold call.
It’s easy to be a “salesperson” when you’re handling inbound leads. You know, the kind that walks into your office already halfway sold like:
“Hi, I saw your ad on Facebook, I want to buy.” At that point, you’re not even selling – **you’re just taking orders like a waiter at Chicken Inn. ** “Would you like that software with fries and a CRM integration?”
But real salespeople – the ones who eat what they kill – know that the money is in prospecting.****
Now, before you roll your eyes and think I’m about to tell you to start cold calling 100 numbers a day, relax. I’ll preach about the gospel of cold calls another day. Today, I want to share with you the most underrated, underused, and unbelievably powerful prospecting method:
ASKING FOR REFERRALS.
Yes, referrals.
Not the kind where you wait politely like a church usher hoping someone will whisper,
“By the way, I have a friend who might be interested.” No! I mean asking – directly and deliberately.****
True Story Time:
Back in 2023, I met this client who was interested in one of our software solutions. I followed up with this man like a jealous ex. I called him more than ten times – TEN TIMES!*
- Each time, he gave me hope, then vanished like airtime in a data bundle.
Eventually, he told me:
“Jerry, I’m not buying.” Did I cry? Maybe a little inside. But I had one last bullet in my sales gun. I said: “Fair enough, boss. But if you liked the demo and you believe it can help others, do you know five people who could benefit?”
He paused. Thought for a moment. Then started sharing names. One of the names was HIS COMPETITOR.** ** But halfway through he stopped and said,
“Eish Jerry, I’m now arming my enemy.” I laughed and told him, “Don’t worry, I’ll give you a discount next time you come back out of jealousy!”
That day, I learned something powerful: Even people who say NO can still give you a YES in the form of a referral.
THE SALES LESSON:
Salespeople, stop waiting for referrals like it’s ZESA.** ** Ask for them. From every client. Whether they buy or don’t buy. Whether they love your product or just love your energy. Ask.
If you ask for 10 referrals every day, that’s 50 names a week. That’s **200 fresh prospects a month. ** At that rate, you might never need to do another cold call again.
HOW TO ASK (WITHOUT SOUNDING DESPERATE):
Try one of these:
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“Who else do you know who might benefit from this solution?”
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“Is there anyone in your circle who’s struggling with the same problem?”
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“If this has been helpful, who else should I be talking to?”
And don’t forget to say thank you and follow up quickly.
CLOSING WORDS FROM THE VENDOR’S PODIUM:
Prospecting is like going to the gym. It’s painful. You’ll sweat. People will ignore you. But if you do it consistently, you’ll get results – and biceps.
Asking for referrals is like using the treadmill with wheels. It’s easier, faster, and gets you to the same destination.
So tomorrow, go out there and don’t just sell. Ask. Follow up. Close. Repeat.****
And remember: The customer who said NO today might still give you a YES to their network.
