Whenever I write, speak or advise my clients about how powerful a tool referrals are, there’s unanimous agreement. Nobody ever says, “No, referrals don’t bring in new business.”

When I wrote about how to get referrals in yesterday’s newsletter (which appears verbatim immediately below this post), executives from some of the biggest companies in the world wrote me privately to say they are in complete agreement about the power of referrals.

And yet, the vast majority of business professionals do not ask. 

Why?

As I wrote yesterday, the reason is between your ears.

We don’t want to impose.

We don’t want to intrude.

We don’t want to take our customers’ time.

We’re not really sure how to ask, or what to say.

We don’t make the time.

The fact is, we must ask. If we want to grow our revenue, there are few better tools than a gold-plated referral among buyer peers. We owe it to ourselves and our families to ask.

And, in fact, we owe it to our customers and prospects to ask. It’s our duty in the world to help people, and to try to improve others.

What better way than referrals?

Instead of thinking “I don’t want to impose,” start thinking “It is my responsibility to help as many people as I can. I owe it to myself, my family, and even to the world.”

Because the truth is, you really can help your customers.

And if we can help, we must try to help.