How often do we say, “Let me know if you hear of anything”, and then leave the other person to work out what on earth “anything” might be?
A client? A job? Someone who needs a commercial director? A woman who would quite like a very comfortable sweatshirt? In my case, admittedly, there are a few possibilities.
It’s made me think about the people who know us, like us and would happily recommend us. Do they know what to recommend us for?
A good reputation isn’t the same as a clear one
You can have a strong network and a reputation you’ve worked bloody hard to earn. But if someone doesn’t understand where you can help, making an introduction becomes difficult.
They might think you’re brilliant without knowing when to mention your name.
Referrals rarely stall because people don’t rate you. More often, nobody has a clear picture of the moment you’re useful.
When your business changes, your network doesn’t always notice
This is particularly easy to overlook when your business has changed. You know what you offer now. Someone you worked with three years ago might still associate you with something quite different.
They haven’t necessarily followed every website update or read every post, however much we might like to think they have.
Give people a situation, not a job title
There’s a difference between explaining your job title and giving someone a situation they’ll recognise.
“I’m a commercial consultant” tells you something about my work. Explaining that I help founders work out what needs attention across their business, agree priorities and put them into practice gives you more to go on.
You might then recognise the business owner who has plenty happening but is struggling to work out where to focus. Or the growing company that needs experienced commercial leadership without bringing someone in full-time.
That makes it far easier to think, “You should speak to Jodie.”
The same applies to your business. Ask yourself:
• What would someone be saying when they need you?
• What would they be struggling with?
• What would they be trying to achieve?
Those are the moments that should bring you to mind.
Clarity helps. It doesn’t replace good work.
Of course, clarity doesn’t replace doing good work. When someone introduces you, they’re putting a little of their own reputation behind the recommendation. You still need to give them a reason to feel comfortable doing that, and then look after the introduction properly.
What we can do is make it considerably easier for the people who already trust us.
Something to try this week
Choose three people who know your work and get in touch with each of them individually. Tell them who you’re looking to help and the sort of situation where you’re useful. Then ask whether anyone comes to mind.
You could say:
“I’m currently helping [type of person or business] with [specific problem or decision]. If someone in your network is dealing with that, would you feel comfortable introducing us? Happy to send a couple of lines you can forward.”
Choose people where the request makes sense, rather than sending it to everyone you’ve ever met. If nobody comes to mind, that’s absolutely fine too.
Before you send it
Could you explain what you do and who you help in two sentences? Write it down. Read it out loud. Then ask yourself whether a friend could repeat it to someone else without getting it wrong.
If it takes a paragraph, that’s worth paying attention to.
Not sure how to describe what your business does now?
If your business has grown or shifted and you’re finding it hard to explain where it’s heading, that’s exactly the kind of thing I help founders untangle.
Take the free Business Health Check to see where you stand across Structure, Brand, People and Growth.
This piece started life in The Complicated Briefing, my Sunday email. If you’d like ideas like this in your inbox each week, sign up here.
