Sorry - no Referrals this week!

2/4/10

We’ve all heard it: a member gets up and says they have no referrals this week and then usually adds some poor excuse. What they really mean is that they have done nothing for their fellow members that week.

However, I’m not going to go into that. What gets me is that I have never heard anyone get up and say, ‘Sorry - no visitors this week’. And, I have to say, that I have thought long and hard about this and this is my conclusion.

The reason has to be for one of the following: 1) we do not place enough value on visitors, or 2) most members want to receive referrals and so in their own mind it is only referrals that matter.
Now, I’m not suggesting that we should start saying we are sorry for not having a visitor, as our chapters shouldn’t allow us to say sorry for not having a referral, but I do think we need to change the mindset of members thinking that it is only referrals that count. Maybe this is why some chapters find it hard to grow – because they don’t see the true value of visitors.

So, how can we change this way of thinking?

Well, I have two ideas to start with. Firstly, the chapter can give more recognition to those members who bring visitors each week. Most chapters clap if a member has three of more referrals in a week. How about a round of applause if a member brings two visitors or more? Most Chapter Directors give the Referral Notable Networker award first. How about instead presenting the Visitor Notable Networker award first?

Then, as members, instead of thinking 'I must have a referral this week', how about thinking 'I must find a visitor this week' instead? As the more visitors our chapter has, the more members it will have, which in turn will lead to more referrals and lastly to more business for the group.

What’s amazing about this approach of ‘I must find a visitor’ is that it would also go a long way to solving the ‘sorry – no referrals this week’ problem!

What do you think?