This Halloween is definitely one for the record books. While here in Denver it’s supposed to be close to 70 degrees today, up and down the east coast their greatest fears are coming to light with the perfect storm. As we plan for the little ones’ trick or treating (and maybe some not-so little ones too), it always amazes me how real looking and down right scary some costumes can be. They definitely bring our fears to a whole new level.

Even though a monster, goblin or zombie can make our heart beat a bit faster, the feeling quickly disappears when you shut the door. But what about when your fear is more business related. What about when you’re not quite sure of how to bring referrals into your business?

Asking for referrals isn’t rocket science. You don’t need a degree, special classes or years worth of knowledge. The only thing you truly need is the belief you can do it, and the ability to set up the perfect plan that allows referrals to come flowing into your studio on a regular basis.

Yet most people don’t. And it all comes down to one thing: fear.

If you’re not asking for referrals on a regular basis, the first thing you need to do is identify the reason why. What fear is holding you back from referral marketing? Here are 3 of the top reasons people simply don’t ask for referrals – do you see yourself in one of them?

Fear #1: The Fear of Rejection

One of our top fears is not looking or being good enough. We don’t want to hear that someone doesn’t like what we do. So we avoid the situation all together. If we don’t ask, they can’t say no or tell us how they really feel. But if you stop to think about what response you’ll truly get, you can sum it up in several ways. A client will either tell you they don’t have a referral, will be vague about their response, or bring a name to the table immediately. That’s it. And if that’s all you are expecting, the worse you can get is a “no” or “I don’t know anyone”. Accept the “no’s” and move on. Every once in a while you’ll get the yeses. [Read more…]