In the business world, good recommendations are like gold. They can open doors and create opportunities. How long does it take to receive recommendations from your network? ? Not so simple ! Establishing referral relationships is a process similar to developing friendships, requiring time and effort.
The analogy of friendship
Strong referral relationships reflect the gradual progression of friendships. It's not so much the quantity of contacts that matters but the quality of the relationships you establish. A 2018 study from Journal of Social and Personal Relationships shed light on the timeline of friendships : it takes about 50 hours of interaction for an acquaintance to become a “casual friend”, 90 hours to become “true friends” and 200 hours to reach “close friends” status.
Build trust to get recommendations
Let us transpose this principle. To receive recommendations from your network, you must cultivate trust and relationships with your partners. This process cannot be rushed. Therefore, if you are eager to receive immediate recommendations, you might want to rethink your strategy. In BNI for example, members reaching the 90 hour mark of active participation start receiving more referrals. When they cross the 200 hour mark, They generate on average more than five times the number of referrals they received in the first year ! You read correctly : over 500% more referrals when they have built strong relationships with their referral partners.
Steps to Accelerate Recommendation Success
Developing a referral-based business is a deliberate process that involves nurturing meaningful relationships. To boost this process, four questions to ask yourself :
– Am I building relationships ? Do you actively engage with your referral partners and invest the time to get to know them ?
– Am I demonstrating my worth? ?
Make regular, engaging presentations to your partners about the value you bring to your customers ?
– Am I giving back? ? Do you participate in business transactions within your team, which allows you to provide dynamic testimonials and direct business to other people ?
– Am I informed ? Organize regular meetings with your business partners to learn about their activities and keep you informed ?
The depth of relationships
If your network is a kilometer wide and a centimeter deep, you will never get the type of recommendations that will make a difference for your business. Growing a referral-based business relies on developing strong, deep relationships, based on trust and mutual support.
A marathon, not a sprint
Getting recommendations from people around you is not a sprint, it's a marathon. The best way to speed up the process is to spend time developing relationships with the people you work with on a team. Networking is about cultivating, and not to chase. It’s about maintaining relationships and friendships with other professionals. So be patient, persevering, and, in due time, your network will become a valuable source of recommendations that can transform your business.
For more than two decades, Sylvie & Annick Miquel has accumulated solid professional experience by successfully supporting entrepreneurs, teams and leaders of all kinds, both in the private and in the public. In their capacity as BNI Executive Directors in Reunion, of BNI National Directors in Mauritius and John Maxwell Certified Coaches, they are determined to help entrepreneurs, their families and communities, to succeed and prosper thanks to their innovative and efficient business approach.
Sylvie & Annick Miquel
Directors BNI Meeting
& BNI Maurice
+262 692 45 84 00
bnireunion@bnifrance.fr
contact@bnimauritius.mu
