How to Use Mutual Trust to Grow Your Business

Hello and welcome to The High Table, the Oracle's Chamber, the Inner Sanctuary, the Conclave of Elders, where we talk about sales, marketing, money, tactics, strategy, business growth, and solving business problems. Today I want us to talk about how to process referrals because for a lot of you listening to the podcast today, you've been in business for a while, you know, a year, three years, five years, seven years, 12 years, 15

years, however many years. And it's getting to that point where people now call you up to say, oh, I spoke to this person. I like the way you treated me. So I'm sending this person over to you. Please take care of this person. Or somebody calls you and says, oh, I got your number from your former customer, you know, so, so, so and so, so I now want us to come up with some simple ideas for how to process referrals. And the reason why I want us to do that is because in the last podcast episode that I recorded,

I spoke about how too many of you have this mind frame of this mindset of whenever somebody reaches out, I will just send them a price list. If they're interested, then they'll get in touch. And so that is how some of you process referrals. And it's wrong. If somebody calls you up and the person says, hi, my name is Kelichi. I got your number from if I, if I said he bought whatever, whatever from you and do you have the so, so, so and so available, It actually is the wrong thing to say.

Oh, yes, we have it available. Is this your WhatsApp number? Yes. OK, I will send you the price list. Then you send the person the price list. That is the wrong way to go about it. Now the reason why we're talking about this today is because this is precisely what has happened to me a couple of moments ago. Before we get we get into that, let's just do a few definitions. Now remember when we say referrals, we just mean number one for the purpose of business.

So in a business situation, whenever someone makes an introduction, not just a mention, if someone does a mention, it's not a referral. Somebody says, oh, that I have this friend of mine, her name is Kemi. I want you to be in touch with Kemi. Like that's just a mention. That's not really a referral. A referral is when people take the next step and they make an actual introduction. So you, the business owner, when you receive a call from Kemi and Kemi says that it is Kunle they gave you, they gave her the number that is a referral because an introduction has been made.

So if somebody gets in touch and says this is my friend, here's my friend's number, call the person that is a referral. If somebody gives your number to their friend and their friend calls you, that is a referral. So when we have an introduction, then we can say that a referral has taken taken place. Now why is this important and why are we making such a big deal about referrals? Well, it's very easy. Number one, these people come pre qualified.

Pre qualified just means somebody has really had the conversation with the person to figure out whether the person really is interested, whether this is a serious person that is worth spending time with. So the person has already been pre qualified. So the amount of toasting that you have to do is less. And then there's implied trust both ways. So since the person who is calling you was referred to you by someone else whom she trusts,

the person already kind of trusts you. So there's implied trust running both ways. Because of that, because of the pre qualification and because of the implied trust, referral deals are easier to close because the trust is there. Then these sorts of deals are also cheaper to close. They're cheaper to close because other deals that you want to close are deals that you have spent money on trying to produce by advertising somewhere, or you have spent time trying to produce by prospecting somewhere.

So you've either been going to go and chase people or you've been spending money to try and close deals. But because these people are coming through trusted channels, you didn't spend money and you're not going to waste time, the deal will be easier to close. So this is the reason why prospecting is important. Now the case study, like I said, this just happened to me moments ago and it's because I was making enquiries on behalf of my wife for a Samsung A57 phone.

You know, I'm not really a phone buff, but I hear that the phone just came out newly, so it's something worth considering. The Samsung A57, by the way, this is not a sponsor. Samsung is not paying me any money. But if you work in Samsung and you like the podcast and you want to support your boy, then please, by all means get in touch. Speaking of sponsors, I'd like to tell you guys about Ekanga Software Factory that is IKSF

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discount. Because you're a listener of the podcast, all you have to do is go to the website IKSF dot Ng. Then you use the discount code TAV. That is TAV or Ayede. That is a YEDE. So use either Tav or Ayede and I will entitle you to 20% discount. And when you go to Ikanga Software factory again, IKSF dot Ng, let me know. Call me, send me a text message or a WhatsApp message on 08064662140. Please let me know because I want to be sure that they take real good care of you.

So back to the case study that we're talking about now. So Samsung 857 phone just came out, I think April. So the phone is still kind of hot and my wife's been thinking we should take a look at that. I said no problem. So I called up the person who sold us the last pair of phones that we have. And let's not use her real name. Let's say her name is Atim. So I called up Atim and I said Atim, how far now? She's good. How's business?

Business is going on. OK, so you know Madam, I'm looking for a new phone. But the last time what we got was Xiaomi 13C12C. By the way, this was a long time ago. We got our phones from our team like maybe something like 4 years, four years, let's say 4-5 years ago. So it's been a while. I take care of my phones very well. In fact, it's this very phone that I'm recording this podcast episode directly into. So I take good care of my phone.

So, you know, phone know the spoiler for my hand. My wife on the other hand, well, she can make it rough. Let's just put it that way. And then of course, she's always taking pictures of the children and any small thing you'd like. PTA should record video before you know it. Memory is food is that that you know, it can be a hassle. So yeah, our phone is on its second life. But we see my own phone. The thing is still they look brand new still looks terrible every time I move the packet.

People like, when did you buy this phone? I said this phone is this one is about 5 years old. People say he's a lie. He's a lie, but I take good care of my phones. Very, very good care of my phones. So. So I called Adam now. So Adam said, Oh no, no, no, I don't do Samsung. I just do Xiaomi. So OK, so anybody that does Samsung, she's like, yeah, cool. When I get to the office tomorrow now, I'll send you Hadiza's number.

Hadiza is the one in charge of Samsung. That's OK, no problem, just let me know, Just buzz me. She said cool. Then the next day she put me in touch with Hadiza and what Hadiza did was to promptly send me a price list. I repeat me and Artem, we have history. We bought phones from Artem 4 years ago as me and wifey. I said Artem off and I hooked me up. Artem hooks me up with Hadiza, by the time I connect to Hadiza, Hadiza attitude is OK.

She just gave me price list that's all. She didn't ask me questions. She just sent price list just like that. And then of course I did what most Nigerians would do because like I'm not going to help Hadiza to sell her market. I said oh thank you very much for the info. Let me talk to my wife. I'll get back to you for those of you who behave like this any small thing somebody reaches out to you immediately you send priceless.

Can you see the reason why people ghost you? You're the one that is causing the ghosting. No, really you are so Adam is my girl on a normal normal of A1 buy from her, but she doesn't supply Samsung, so she'll know we Hadiza Hadiza just sent me price list. Let's now say that my wife is also talking to one of her friends and then somebody says, oh, I have a Samsung person and then that person actually picks up the phone and then connects with my wife.

Honestly speaking now you guys reason I'm who do you think is going to collect the deal? The person that just sent price list or the person actually called up my wife to say, oh, Madam. And then they actually have a conversation. People do business with those who they know, who they like and they trust Abby, who is the only person that is going to have an opportunity to build, know, like and trust the person who will pick up the phone and call my wife or the person who will just send price list and just leave it like that.

So I know we help Hadiza some markets. I was like, yeah, cool, no alarm, let me talk to wifey, I'll get back to you. Of course Hadiza said OK and then that's it. Unfortunately, this is how a lot of you process your referrals. You don't take advantage of the fact that it's a referral. Somebody reaches out to you. The next thing you do is you just send them price lists. Now, some of you are going to be wondering what should Hadiza have done?

Very simple. Oh, by the way, Hadiza is not her real name. And of course, you know, if you're listening to this podcast, your name is Atim. Your name is Hadiza. It's just a coincidence. So the alternative approach should, I mean this, and this is what you should do when you get a referral. Hadiza should have spoken to Atim first. First say, oh, OK, Atim. Yeah, thanks. But this person self, who is he? That's what Hadiza should have asked Atim.

So if you're a business owner and somebody says oh that I want you to call my cousins on this, I say sure no problem. You first question asks is OK, who is who is she? Who is this person I deserve? Should have asked that team who is he? You know what I've spoken Oh there's one guy like that. He came into the shop 5 years back you know he and wifey. Apart from that he has also sent business my way. So it's OK, it's OK, young couple.

It's not even get money, but he's an OK guy. If Hadiza had asked that question, Hadiza is getting some background information. How did you meet this guy? There's another question to ask. What did he buy before? That's also another question to ask. When they bought, how much money did they spend? Remember that when people come and meet us, the primary question we're trying to figure out is, is this a serious person, you know, blah, blah,

blah. So we'll know whether we invest time with it or not. It is from Hadiza asking at him all these background questions. Who is he? How did you meet? What did he buy before? How often has he bought? What is it that he wants? From asking all these questions that Hadiza would have been able to know whether I'm a correct contact that you just pick up the phone and call direct and get on it. Whether it, you know, should have known whether this is something that is hot, hot, hot that can close now, or whether it's something that you know you just allow.

If somebody's referring you, you didn't ask the person any question how you know whether to pursue and give close marking or that you take it easy and relax, you won't know. So now if Hadiza had called at him and asked all this background information, who is he? How do you meet? What did he buy before? How often has he bought? What does he want? Hadiza would have now had the background to take charge. I control the conversation.

Remember I said call wherever possible, call first. When you call and you hear the level of conversation, you will now know whether OK, this is hot cake, let me push you or this is a this is a on answer of somebody let me leave this person. So at least I should have now called and controlled the conversation by leaving this thing to WhatsApp sending me priceless. And I say, oh OK, I'll get back to you. She has lost control.

A lot of you fall into this ghosting trap. People don't call you back and everything, but you lost control of the conversation from the start. So Hadiza should have called. And of course, when you're dealing with a referral like this, remember I said that there's implied trust both ways. You take advantage of that implied trust. And when you're calling the person you mention, it blows my mind the number of people who are dealing with referrals and they never mention for that student of mine who was into selling advertising technology,

it's one thing that he did that surprised me. Somebody said, call Madam. So, so, so and so you called Madam. You started talking. And I was like, you didn't mention that, chief. So, so, so and so say you should call. And I was like, oh, no, I didn't. We should stop making that mistake. If I get a referral, chief automaker says go and call Barry Star Philip. By the time I enter Barry Star Philip, that's the first thing I

say. Oh, Barry Star Phillips. Good morning, Sir. Nice to finally meet you. Chief O Domingo spoke so much about you, that Chief O Domingo, which O Domingo? O Domingo Susan. So he's the one that gave me a number to call. He said, oh, oh, my son, my son, sit down, sit down. See, that's how it works. The very first phone call, the very first house meeting, the very first office meeting, the very first site inspection, the very first whatever, it was an introduction.

I said this implied trust milk that trust the person that introduced like drop the name, drop the name. Oh, Alhaja Kami, nice to meet you, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm really looking forward to this. In fact, when Alhaja Bingpe gave me a number, she said this like which which Elijah being paid Alhaja being paid so so so she said people went to school together. Oh, that being paid. Don't mind that useless girl. How do you know her?

How large? I mean, she's my friend though. We know a mosque and everything. I'm black. You see, You're built. I say this implied trust both ways. Milk this thing. Drop those names. So that's how this I should have done. Hello. Good morning, Sir. I got your number from my friend at team. At team said you're going to be in touch concerning a Samsung A57. So that's the reason why I'm calling now. Of course it's a random number so I won't know who it is.

But once you just say I got no offer, artist say oh, oh, Oh yeah, at him. That's true. I was chatting with at him last night concerning blah blah. You see the conversation not start on a warm note because Hadis are trying to take control of the conversation. There's a referral. She's going to try and milk the implied trust by dropping names that the person that two of us know mutually at him. That's the person that said I

should be in touch. Then she'll continue. OK, so the Samsung A57, that's not a problem, Sir. We have a couple of them in store. I'm going to do my best to help. But Sir, I'm just curious. So our team mentioned that the last time you came to the store, you are Madame, you got Jiaomi, you got 12C13C. So how come you're looking at Samsung now? You ask. Then you keep quiet. This is what we call qualification and discovery in sales.

You're actually trying to figure out, do these people have a problem? Is it a problem worth solving? So, and then are they ready to take action soon? It's by asking these kind of questions that, you know, remember what I said in previous podcasts that when anybody reaches out to you, they're reaching out to you either because they have a problem or they have a vision. They have a problem when they're trying to solve or a vision.

So in this case, the problem could be that Madame's phone has back up, that Madame has killed this one, we need a new one. Or it could be a vision that Madame is the love of my life. You know, we've been together for 15 years. Wedding anniversary. I want to just buy something just to say thank you. All this background information, it helps when it comes to selling. If you're selling mobile phones, all this background info, it helps.

So simple questions like that. Adam said the last time you bought Jiaomi. How come Samsung now you hear what the guy has to say? Oh, OK. Oh, alright, no problem. Is there any special occasion we're looking forward to? Is it her birthday? You ask. They also ask more questions because you know, eventually you get to the proposal stage or the presentation stage where you'll be saying, look, the Samsung A57 is a good phone to buy.

Or maybe if money becomes an issue, because a 57 itself kind of pricey, at least I consider it pricey. Some people say that's cheap, that's cheap. That's what some people say. Because in Abuja nowadays people are buying phone 3.5 M, 5 M, That's what people are buying in Abuja now. So if they say here Samsung, if you say, oh, that's cheap, that's that's a cheap phone. That's what I give my house girl anyway, what was that?

So if money becomes an issue and it's no longer Samsung A57 people are talking about but another kind of Samsung, you will not know which kind of other Samsung's to recommend until you ask a couple of questions. So another question, what does Madam not like about this her current phone direct me 12 C What's the problem with the Redmi? I be the teen know they handle well. I be the teen is freezing. You also ask what does Madam use this thing for?

Is she mostly a social media person? Does she do YouTube? I been on Netflix or is he videos and photos of the children. I've been a Candy Crush. They play like you ask all these questions. That is what we give you the ammunition when you get to the proposal stage or the presentation stage. That is what we give you the ammunition to say this a 57 Bros, not the very one, be this I recommend that on my full chest or to say, OK, look, this a 57.

If it's too much of an issue, then there's also this one. There's also this one. There's also this one. It also has this spec. It also has this spec. It will be good for Madam for doing this and for doing this and for doing this. So between these three options, any of them are good. A-57 no problem. We get this one. We get this one. We get option A, option B, option C, All of them for Madam is all good. So, Sir, based on what we've spoken about so far.

Which one are you leaning forward to or which one do you think Madam would like? Or if we bring Madam in store today, which of these three do you think you would like? You see already beginning to funnel the guy into into a decision, but you ask questions. If all you do is just send price list, you will not have an opportunity to handle the conversation like this. You will not have an opportunity to sell something. Then of course you also have the budget conversation.

If it's looking like a 57 a 57, no problem you say OK Sir, no problem. A 57 we get time. The 8 gig one, the 256 gig, the one terabyte, we get time. No big problem. But Bros hope you are Madame. I've had the honeycomb because the a 57, you know the thing cost more. Yes, we have them. We have options available for anything between 600 to 700,000. Is that within your budget? You just say it like that and then you keep quiet and then you work has to say if August says what 600,000 now phone, I want bio and also I want to build nobody say I want to build house.

If he reacts like that, you now know that oh, OK, this is the kind of person that I'm dealing with. You know which kind of options to make recommendations to make accordingly. But either way, you're still in the conversation. If you just send somebody a price list and all the options are there 600,700 thousand, 800,900 thousand 1.21.51.63 point, how you get a chance to stay in the conversation to get the person to buy something.

And that's why I say you do this on phone. Pick up the phone, call somebody. Oh, sorry, that's the case. You heard the noise, that's the alarm. It's been 20 minutes. I didn't want to last too long on today's podcast. So call somebody, do this thing on phone because you can have this conversation on phone. I hope you are Madam people have spoken budget to because right now the APC 7 is anything between 700K600K. Is that within your budget is between 700K600K, Is that an investment you're willing to make?

Between 700K600K, Is that the kind of thing that you think you can pick up next week? I mean, any which way shall you drop a range and then you get some feedback. Then on phone, phone call, another reason why phone call, phone call. You'll be able to also test people's timelines. Oh how Oh, so how soon would you be able to come into store? Or you can ask, you know, are you going to come into store to pick up or should this be a delivery?

When you ask the question like this, you release that timelines that they're saying anybody who is saying something like delivery. No, no, no, no need now just now just question. Are they ask not just question. I just inquiry at the inquire. In that case, you now know that oh, OK, this one is not red hot. There's only for me to be close marking this guy. See, this is how you stylishly get some information. So so will you be coming into store or we would like this delivered to you based on the answer, you will now know.

Oh, OK, they're serious. They're not serious. They want to buy it soon. They don't want to buy it soon. Or you can start making some proposals like OK, so this one that you and I have been talking is Madame available? People should just come into the just come into the shop now come and look at models. We have different call. We have different colors available. I think mentioned that the last time but I was owned that she took was turquoise.

But you know, now we have turquoise, we have Sharbel blue and we have Mango yellow. When will Madam be available to come into store? You see questions like this, you know, you're getting a sense of are they ready to buy now? Are they ready to move now? You know, are they, you know, based on the answer, you now know who it is that you're dealing with. Now, the whole point of all these things that I'm recommending is this, in order to sell something, you need to have a chance at staying in the conversation.

And honestly speaking, yeah, even on referrals that are supposed to be easy to close, you don't have a chance of staying in a conversation if all you do is. Oh, OK, you're from our team. OK, no problem. Here's the price list, Sir. OK, you get back to me when you are Madame already. OK. No, no problem, Sir. Enjoy your day, Sir. You're not even in the conversation. You have a serial shot at that closing this thing at all.

And then you as the vendor selling mobile phones, this interaction now that has ended like that, do you know if I'm a serious person? Do you know if I have money? Do you know if I'm ready to buy now? Do you know if I'm ready to move now? Like what do you know? Nothing. You just send the price list and they end up with let me get back to you. Then later on you'll be frustrated. You say Nigerians don't like good quality or Nigerians are indecisive.

They don't know what they want. The problem is not with the Nigerian customer, the problem is with you. You don't have a framework, you don't have a process, You don't, you never had the chance. Another person who is sharp, because as I'm having conversations, wifey is also having conversation with her friends. Now I bet you by the time I see wifey in the evening, she will say, oh, somebody called me from so, so, so now if somebody called me from so, so, so.

All right, Even if I want us to go with Hadiza, how will I, how will I push it? My own? All I will say is, oh, Hadiza sent me priceless, that's all. Mindful Say, oh, somebody called me from so, so, so, so, so I like the guy. I trust him. Something, something, something, something. So even if I want to say it must be Hadiza, how will I push it? And of course, I'm not going to help Hadiza sell her market. I mean, like, why should I?

Again, Hadiza is not her real name, so this is how you process referrals. Give yourself a chance of staying in a conversation. There's some implied trust here. Take advantage of it. Call up the person. OK, the no pic call, no problem. Chat. Even if you're chatting, the approach is still the same. You're going to ask a couple of questions. You want to know who it is you're dealing with. You want to know whether they're serious or not, because if Adam says, oh, this is my customer,

call him. You need to know whether you, this person, that team say you should call. You need to know whether you will follow them as in back-to-back, like call them Monday, call them Wednesday, call them Thursday, call them Saturday. Or whether you take it easy, you talk to them the first week you call them back in three weeks. You know, you need information to determine how will I be following this guy or how will I be following this lady.

Either way, if you're ever in a situation where somebody said let me get back to you, you are the master of that person. If they get back to you is good. If they don't get back to you, man, well, you're on your own. So summary of what it is that I want to say today, even though I didn't mention it, but I've been saying this, I think like last month I said it. So let me say it again. Please do not be an order taker in your business.

Another taker is just someone who stays and smiles and responds to the order. Do not be an order taker in your business. Order takers do not make money. They don't. Sales professionals and consultants make money. If you are in this line of business, you work for Slot, you work for Pointech, you work for any of these organizations. By the way, this is not an advertisement. They are not sponsors. But if you work for slot, if you work for Pointech, if you work for any mobile, whatever, and you like you like my show and you want to support your boy,

it's not a problem. Reach out to me, call me, send me a text message via WhatsApp message on 08064662140 and we'll see how we can move your gospel on the show. So don't be an order taker if you work for Slok or you work for Pointech or you're, you're working Ikeja computer village or you're Ikeja on that bridge whose cell phones there or mobile mobile village in I think it's like aerial. No, like zone 3 Abhi, like zone 3IN Abuja, that side.

This is your line of business. Stop thinking of yourself as an order taker. Think of yourself as a consultant. Anybody who reaches out to you, they should know that they're talking to a consultant. So don't say I sell phones, You say I'm a mobile tech consultant. Yes, when they call you, people should know that they're talking to a mobile tech consultant. The kind of questions that you ask them, don't know that Kai, this person is knowledgeable about mobile phones and the kind of recommendations you make don't know that this is the person.

If I need phone, it is Hadiza that I should call. So you are a mobile tech consultant. Anybody who is in the position of Atim or Hadiza listening to this show right now, you're not a sales girl. No, don't refer to yourself as a sales girl. Again, sales girl and house girl, what's the difference? You're not a sales girl, you are a mobile tech consultant. You are a phone market analysts or you're a phone market consult.

I mean, I don't know, you should give me English, shy. You're a consultant, you feel me? Never call yourself a sales girl. Sales girl and house girl the same level. You're a consultant. The same thing with those of you who you know. You sell Ankara for your Madam. You call yourself sales girl. Why are you calling yourself a sales girl? Sales girl and house girl. No difference. You're not a sales girl who sells Ankara.

You are a textile and image consultant. Yes, textile consultant. Madam, how can I help you today? Blah, blah, blah. You know I'm a textile consultant. But yes, you know, now you're the specialist. You ask our questions, you'll be able to make some recommendations, you know, based on what the occasion is based on, you know, whatever it is, if it's a wedding, Abbey is a burial, Abbey is house warming or some, you know, you'll be able to make good recommendations because you are a textile and image consultant.

Say, ah, Madam, as I am seeing you, you know, with your stature and with your influence and everything. Madam, this is what I'm thinking this No, you're not a sales girl, textile and image consultant or you say you're an occasion branding specialist. Yes, occasion branding specialist. So Madame Oz for a wedding, congratulations. So your baby daughter getting my oh, you are an occasion branding specialist. You will ask them question accordingly and the kind of Ankara or the kind of adirae or the kind of, you know, whatever that you recommend, you know,

you're a consultant, you're a fabric stylist. Anybody who is listening to this podcast now you're calling yourself sales boy or sales girl. I will disown you. The difference between sales boy, sales girl and house boy, house girl, there's no difference. But never call ourselves sales boy again or sales girl. All right, so it's in over 30 minutes. Let me just bring this to a close. But remember, if you're a Nigerian founder, you want to start but the cost of building your software is too high.

You just go to Ikanga Software factory IKSF dot Ng. I'll be able to get your product live in seven days. You'll also get a free.com dot Ng domain, free hosting for one year. The project belongs to you, the code belongs to you. When you're ready to move, you just take it and you leave. Your first project will give you a 20% discount. All you have to do is just type in tav TAV or type in IED AYEDE when you get to IKSF dot Ng and we'll get you started.

Remember, call me, send me a message. Once you do that, I want to be sure that the Kenga software factory is taking care of all your software needs because they were showing me that they can take care of all your software needs. So that's it. Thanks for listening. Thanks for your time and attention. If this is your first time of listening, you can, you know, put this thing on repeat. Listen again. Make sure you process your referrals well.

Process it accordingly. Remember that you are a consultant. You are a subject matter specialist, so ask questions of whoever is referring you. Ask questions of the person who has reached out to you so that you can handle this conversation well. Take the initiative. You are the consultant, take the lead. Don't wait for the other person to take the lead because nobody's going to sell on your behalf, right? So that's it.

Thanks for listening. I'll catch you all some other time.