Virtually every advisor has been taught that generating referrals from clients and prospects are the way to success, but less than 15% of all advisors generate enough referrals to significantly impact their business. Most of the time, the problems advisors have generating referrals is due to the training—or lack thereof–they have received, rather than with the their performance. The traditional referral selling training has been to “do a good job and ask for referrals.” Yet, it has been obvious for decades that it really does not work very well. Using the traditional approach, the typical advisor will get an occasional name and phone number or two from their clients, but seldom do these names and phone numbers result in a sale. Certainly, on occasion, these referrals become clients, but the close ratio tends to be quite poor.

The failure to generate a large number of high quality referrals actually lies in the traditional method’s approach to the client. The traditional “do a good job and ask for referrals” approach creates several roadblocks to getting referrals.

First, by waiting until the sale is complete and then asking for referrals, your client has not had the opportunity to prepare for your request. To the client, the request comes from out of the blue. When you approach your client with your request without giving them an opportunity to think about it, you have put them on the spot. You are only giving them a few seconds to go through their mental file cabinet. More than likely in this situation, they will not be able to immediately produce the number or the quality of referrals you want.

Second, even if your client takes a few seconds to think about it, they really do not know what you want. It may seem obvious to you, but your client really has not a clue what a good referral for you is. This may seem a little difficult to accept, but it is true. You assume that because you sell a whole array of financial products and services, your customer is immediately going to think, “Who do I know who needs or uses any type of financial advice, guidance or products?” Wrong assumption. What they actually think is “what does this person want from me?” Or, more likely, “how can I get out of answering this?” Without having defined for your client exactly what a quality referral for you is, you stand a very little chance of getting quality referrals.

Third, the traditional method of “do a good job and ask for referrals” does not give your client a reason to give you referrals. We make the assumption that if we have done a good job, the client will like and respect us and be willing to give us referrals. Again, this is far from the case. Most clients will not give good, quality referrals just because they like you or because you have done a good job for them. You must give them a reason to give you referrals. They need to understand why it is in their best interest to give you referrals—and after the sale is complete, it is too late to try to explain how giving you referrals benefits them. Clients assume that whomever they refer you to will be more demanding and critical they have been. When a client gives a referral, they are putting their reputation and image on the line with the person to whom they are referring you. They are concerned about what their friend or acquaintance is going to think of them, particularly if you mess up. Consequently, you must give them a good reason why they should go out on the limb for you.

Fourth, the traditional referral generation method does not give the client an objective standard by which to measure the quality of your performance. You and your client may “feel” you have done a good job, but when you ask for referrals, they begin to think back over the sales process more critically and question whether you have really performed up to standard. If the two of you agree up-front on exactly what you need to do in order to “do a good job,” they will have an objective basis to decide if they trust you enough and if you have earned the right to be sent to the people they really know and respect.

And finally, although not a direct result of the traditional referral generation method, an equally serious issue is studies show that the majority of the times advisors do not really ask for referrals—rather they suggest referrals. Instead of asking a direct question seeking referrals such as “John, which of your friends, family members or acquaintances do you know that I may be able help solve some crucial issues?” the typical advisor will make a weak request such as “John, if you happen to know someone I can help would you mind letting me know?” Or, “John, if you run across someone who could use my services would mind giving them my card?” Rather than a request for referrals, these are throwaway sentences, quickly forgotten by most clients.

Traditional referral training is inherently unfair to you, the advisor, and your client. It does not give the you the tools needed to successfully work with your client to generate quality referrals, and it does not give your client a reason give referrals, nor a chance to become comfortable giving you referrals.

Yet, it is possible to generate a very large number of high quality referrals from your clients. You need to make sure that your interaction with your client eliminates these shortcomings. Preparing your client during the sales process to give referrals by informing them up-front that you are a referral-based advisor and expect referrals after the sale; defining for your client exactly what a quality referral for you is; educating your client on why it is in their best interest to give you referrals; and then coming to an agreement with your client on exactly what you must do during the course of the sale to earn their referrals will quickly give you a large pipeline of quality referrals.

By recognizing and resolving the problems of the traditional referral generation method, you can turn these issues into your strengths, generating a large number of high quality referrals from almost every one of your clients and prospects.

Of individuals and small businesses to companies and the federal government, the vast amount of information contained on the hard drive has led to the need for data storage devices that are reliable, portable and incorruptible. Saving a copy of all the vital information can require more space than many businesses have room to accommodate and in the digital age, it only makes sense to use electronic data storage devices to maintain online data backup of everything type.

Modern data storage devices allow users to store as much information about a square inch microchip that, on paper, requiring a four-drawer filing cabinet. Access to information is also faster in electronic searches can recall information faster than searching through file cabinets.

Whether the data storage device is used, the primary concern is data security and the stability of the data storage device. Data Rebound prides itself on its unmatched security and reliability of its data storage devices. Your files are encrypted and sent in a Secure Socket Layer tunnel to provide extra security for the transfer. The result is that your information is completely protected and the only one who holds the key to decrypt the data you are.

Some of the major concerns of the people have the choice of data storage devices include the unpredictability of the information, in the sense of being well preserved in the media without becoming corrupted, and the ability to access to information. Ideally, data should be recalled at any random order, without additional time needed to pull him out of the data storage device. Data on the rebound may decrease their concerns with our state of the art data backup facilities that are controlled by the environment, and protected by security personnel on a daily basis. You will also have the ability to restore files to your computer for immediate recovery.

Data backup is probably the most important factor involving the use of computers. There are many reasons why data backup is one of the most important aspects of data storage. For example, no matter where you are saving your information, there’s always a chance that your computer will crash. Essential information and data stored on your computer will be lost if the computer is stolen. A great risk of owning a computer is the possible infection of a virus, which has the potential to crash your hard drive. In the data rebound can choose what data you want to backup and how often you want the backup. For example, you might want to back up data every day or every other day, etc. Once our software is set you never have to worry about backing up data again. Our software will automatically run, continually backing up your data as often as you like.

Data Rebound is the leading provider of online data backup solutions. We are backed by more than 4 decades of experience and understanding of the needs and desires of our customers. We guarantee a reliable and secure online data backup. Our conviction is that only benefit from data backup if the computer crashes or a disaster occurs. That is why the offer of payment to restore option. It makes sense only if you need to pay for restoring your information. As our customer, you will not have to pay for data backup until you need the information. We are in advance about our costs so that you know exactly how much to expect to pay or when the time comes. There will be no hidden charges or fees, will be a lump sum.

How many times have you heard a great line in a sermon, or a quote in an article and thought – “Hey, that’s really good!”

How many of those who can remember?

For most of us, we can not remember all those great lines, and we wish we could remember when the opportunities for use along they came!

Just writing that helps me remember things, but not enough. I can recall, for example, that the pastor had three points in his sermon, but I only remember two.

And the bits of paper start accumulating!

I thought we did not do any good to write it down in the bulletin, waste paper, napkin, whatever, and then the lot of them. After the battery is so high that entering “clean up” and the only way to throw them out. (I used to just file in the file cabinet, thinking, “I’ll get back to someday.” Yeah, right. Now I know that it is more realistic than just throw them.)

Here is a better strategy: to write such a special place, all together.

This is what I recommend you do. First, decide whether it will compile these phrases, ideas, events, ways of saying things. Then build the habit of recording them on a regular basis, so as not to create a large pile that is tempted to throw away.

I use a good margin of the whole Bible, which has about 40 blank pages at the end of the notes. At least two or three times a week, I transfer the great things that I have gathered in writing that clearly states the blank pages. I write very small, so these 40 pages are going to last me for several years. (I like having as much as possible in my Bible, so it becomes an increasingly powerful tool for me to use.) Following the transfer of good things, I throw or recycle paper.

Another man I know keeps a little journal for this purpose. This is independent of their prayer notebook.

Now just recorded these things is not the ultimate goal – that is using them!

Therefore, the next habit you want to develop is to review periodically the pages. This helps fix big words in your mind, and you’ll be amazed how many times God points back to something you learned before. My own pattern is to take a few minutes every Sunday morning to review these pages.

You can also look forward to the times when you can show someone physically – a new believer or a non-believer but perhaps – what you’ve written. That turns out to be significant for both.

One last thing: these ideas was a fabulous legacy left by their children.

Get started today, and get the real value of their notes.