With over 16 years of experience in Sales, including roles at Eventbrite and leading Sales teams, Christoph Karger has learned one thing:
Your next qualified opportunity might already be in someone else's network.
But for some reason... Most Sellers don't actively ask for referrals. 🤔 And when they do, it's usually something along the lines of:
"Hey, if you know anyone who could benefit from what we do, let me know!"
The response is usually equally predictable:
"Of course! I'll keep you in mind."
And then... 👻👻👻
So we went through Christoph's Referral Masterclass and picked out 3 practical plays to help you turn existing conversations into new opportunities.
1. Stop asking WHO they know. Tell them WHO you're looking for.
One of Christoph's biggest lessons is that generic referral requests rarely lead anywhere because you're making the other person do all the thinking.
Instead, make it as easy as possible for them to identify someone in their network.
Get specific about:
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The role and responsibilities of your ideal customer
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The industry and company size
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The challenge they're currently facing
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The outcome you could help them achieve
And, ideally, add a short customer story that makes the problem relatable.
Instead of:
"Do you know anyone who might be interested in our solution?"
Try:
"We're currently helping Heads of Sales in early-stage startups whose teams struggle to generate enough qualified pipeline. Who comes to mind when you think about that challenge?"
You're giving them a specific person and problem to think about.
2. Don't wait until the deal is closed to ask for a referral.
There isn't just ONE perfect moment to ask for a referral.
In fact, one of Christoph's favourite opportunities is a situation most Sellers would consider a dead end:
Imagine you're on a Cold Call.
You've had a genuinely good conversation. The prospect understands the problem you're solving, but it simply isn't relevant to them right now.
Instead of ending the conversation, try:
"You mentioned this is a big challenge in your industry, even though you've already solved it internally. Do you know someone who's currently dealing with it?"
Suddenly, a conversation that wasn't going anywhere could open another door.
And this doesn't just work in Cold Calls!
Think about Discovery, Demos, onboarding calls, customer check-ins and even renewals.
The lesson: Don't just look for buying signals. Look for referral opportunities!
3. A referral isn't a referral until there's a next step.
You've asked. Your customer has someone in mind. Amazing!
But this is also where Christoph sees Sellers make one of their biggest mistakes.
They get excited about the name and forget to establish HOW they're actually going to get in touch.
Always make sure to ask:
"What's the best way for us to get connected?"
Depending on the relationship, that could mean:
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A personal introduction via email or LinkedIn
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Permission to mention the person's name in your outreach
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An introduction at an event or during a call
A little extra tip from Christoph:
Write the introduction for them.
Make it as easy as possible for your contact to hit send.
And don't forget to follow up and say thank you!
Referrals are relationships! ❤️ And the better you look after them, the more likely people are to recommend you again.
Your challenge for this week 💪
Go through your last 10 meaningful Sales conversations.
How many people did you ask for a referral?
And how many opportunities might you have missed because you didn't?
Christoph's approach is a useful reminder that generating pipeline doesn't always mean sending more emails, making more calls or buying another tool.
Sometimes it means making better use of the conversations you're already having.
What's next?
In November we'll sit down with Doctolib's Crème de la Crème of AEs and talk practical AI implementation! Going live next week!
Stay tuned and be the first to register to join us LIVE!
Your Sales in DACH Team
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