Every salesperson wants to grow their business through referrals and introductions. The challenge is that most do not have a plan to make this happen. A well thought out, well executed Referral Action Plan (R.A.P.) is the key to success in this area.
Here is Tip #3 to making your R.A.P. a reality: Now that you have set a goal for the number of introductions you want to receive in 2011 and you have made your list of Centers of Influence (COIs), you need to know the ideal prospects you want to meet.
Don't assume your COIs know the characteristics of your ideal prospect. In order for them to introduce you to those type of prospects, you must be very specific when communicating to them. What are the key characteristics? Examples might include, number of employees, location, type of industry, revenue, ownership structure and ownership involvement. Maybe you have already put together a Top 20 list of prospects by name.
Make sure you know what your are looking for and be on the lookout for Tip #4.