Are You Going for Gold?
More Strategies for Growing Golden Referral Relationships
Referral marketing best practices are also relationship management best practices. By following these practices, business 
professionals have every reason to believe that they will enjoy success in life, love and business.
Let’s further explore how emotional intelligence experts, Bradberry and Greaves, break down the relationship management strategies that will help us create golden relationships that create awesome referrals.
Our emotions are more obvious to others than we think. We want to be careful about what we are putting out there because, as Bradberry and Greaves put it, “People trust what they see over what they hear.” You could be reacting emotionally to an earlier experience in the day that has nothing to do with the person in front of you. Bradberry and Greaves suggest that you resolve the mixed signal issue as follows: “…use your self-awareness skills to identify your emotions, and use your self-management skills to decide which feelings to express and how to express them.”
Your potential referral partners will notice, and appreciate, your EQ!
According to Bradberry and Greaves, “These days, in both personal and work-related relationships, there are far too few “please’s”, “thank you’s’” and “I’m sorry’s” being expressed.” They suggest that you create a habit of using these words more often and in a heartfelt manner.
Showing ongoing gratitude to your network is a fundamental referral marketing strategy.
Feedback is a gift although it may not seem so at the time. And that’s the key lesson here, learn to handle the most difficult moment about feedback when it is first offered. And do keep in mind that it is as difficult to give feedback as it is to receive it.
Keep an open feedback line with your trusted referral partners; their feedback is key to your relationship – and your business. Referral partners give the best feedback.
“To manage your relationships, you need to manage your trust of others, and their trust level of you is critical to deepening your connection with others. Cultivating relationships and building trust take time. Identify the relationships in your life that need more trust, and use your self-awareness skills to ask yourself what is missing. Use your social awareness skills to ask the other person what needs to happen to build trust – and listen to the answer. Asking will show that you care about the relationship, which will help to build trust, and deepen the relationship.”
What is a referral? It is a transfer of trust. The more trust that you build in relationships, the more referrals you can create.