How Do I Get More Referrals?

Every Tuesday morning at 6am I wake up and read Jeffrey Gitomer's "Sales Caffiene" on my Blackberry. Recently I read a post by Gitomer that spoke on getting more referrals and how to take the right approach. And since my close friend (Jason Plunkett) and I have been strategizing on this topic, I wanted to share a few ideas that were highlighted.

1. Most salespeople simply beg for referrals, rather than work for them. That's why they get so few of them. The best way to get referrals is to give them first. The second best way is to earn them.

2. Let the person who referred you make the first contact, and talk about you as a third-party endorsement. Maybe even set up a three-way meeting or a three-way lunch.

3. Once you begin to put "giving" in front of "getting", your referral cup will runneth over.

4. If somebody gives you a referral and tells you to call them, but has not called them, it's nothing more than a lead (and an awkward one at that).