Moment of Truth # 5: The moment a customer needs a favor from you. Moment of Truth # 6: The moment you see your customer in public. Moment of Truth # 7: The moment your customer brings in a referral.

Perhaps the simplest way to harvest referrals from your customers is to write a simple letter asking them for their help.

Centers of Influence and the 80 / 20 Rule

Your best referrers are your customers, the people who have experience with you and can vouch first hand for your product and service. However, there are many other people and organizations that you must include in your referral prospecting system.

These individuals are people who know and mingle with many other influential people. These people are often known as "Centers of Influence." Centers of Influence can multiply your marketing efforts ten-fold. They turn your marketing efforts from one-to- one to one-to-many. They are the heavy hitters that can have a profound multiplying effect on your business.

A smart small business owner will spend the majority of his referral prospecting time with the 20% of their Centers of Influence that will produce 80% of the results.

Tier 1 and Tier 2 Centers of Influence

Your Tier 1 Centers of Influence are people that are directly related in some way to your industry or profession. Tier 1 Centers of influence have a connection to your industry because they provide complimentary products and services. Referrals coming from your Tier 1 Centers of Influence can be very powerful.

For example, suppose you were a chiropractor. Tier 1 Centers of Influence for you would be orthopedic doctors, massage therapists, physical therapists, family physicians, local gym owners and managers, outpatient placement coordinators, etc. All these occupations deal with people who may be in need of chiropractics.

What is Your Goal with Tier 1 Referral Givers?

Your goal with Tier 1 referral givers is to be the first person on their minds when someone asks them about purchasing your product or service. With this in mind, you should sit down with your staff and come up with ideas about how to be the first person standing in line in the minds of your Tier 1 referrers.

Here are a few ideas to start you off:

1. Be their number one referrer: Make sure that you also have a referral mindset.

Before you get you must give, which means that in order to get lots of referrals