Do you know someone who...?

One of the wonderful things about being a small business is that you get to interact with so many other business owners. And one common thread -- aside from always looking for new business -- is that they are always will to open their rolodex to you.

Referrals are an incredibly powerful tool for building a business. It's so much easier to do business with someone when you share something in common. Think about it -- the people you like to be with (even in non-business situations) are the people who share the most in common with, whether it be your taste in music, food, drink, entertainment, humor, hobbies, etc. The key word is comfort -- you feel at your best when you're comfortable with each other.

Talking that to the business world, think about the dreaded cold call. You call someone who isn't expecting your call (or who doesn't want it in the first place). They feel annoyed and intruded upon. You have about 1.2 seconds to try to convince them to stay on the phone for another 1.2 seconds.

Compare that to a call when the person says, "Hey Rich, Bob Smith asked me to give you a call." Bang....there's a level of comfort (provided, of course, that you like Bob Smith). That level of comfort is the power of a referral.

Don't be afraid to ask somone if they know someone who can help you out....whether it's finding someone to mow your lawn, fix your car, do your taxes or design a brochure, or find jackets for your son's football team. You may just find that you'll be very comfortable doing business with them.

I would be remiss if I didn't offer you the chance to join the referral group I'm in. For more information, go to www.referralmadness.net.