by Joanne Black

Let's get the facts straight. Asking for a referral is NOT asking for a favor. And it's NOT taking a risk.

Referrals Are Right
When we ask someone for a favor, we often assume that they expect something in return as soon as possible. (While technically, a favor is something provided out of goodwill--the business connotation has evolved with less kind regard.) Asking for a referral is not a risk (as some authors promote) where you risk a relationship or a friendship.

If we erroneously follow the "referrals are a favor/risk," then we'd never ask for referrals. Or we'd ask in such a meaningless way, that we might as well never ask in the first place.

In fact, by assuming the "favor/risk" position, we undermine the true power of the referral. The diluted "favor/risk" referral request sounds something like this: "If you know anyone who could benefit from my services, please let them know."

If you're one of the many sales people who ask this question, I picture you nodding your head and recalling that nothing happened as a result.