Comments on: Business Referrals – how do you ask for them? http://www.candocanbe.com/marketing-small-business/business_referrals_how_to_ask_for_the/ Helping small businesses attract the right clients Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:15:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sue Atkins http://www.candocanbe.com/marketing-small-business/business_referrals_how_to_ask_for_the/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Sue Atkins Sun, 10 May 2009 18:49:27 +0000 http://www.candocanbe.com/?p=639#comment-61 It's amazing just by changing our language slightly we can change our mindset, attitude and feelings. The words I always notice in other people when I'm coaching them is "must, should, need to or ought to" as they always sound like judgement words which can often hold people back. Open ended questions always create better creative solutions and open people up to possibilities but it's funny how I have not used this myself in my business..... wood for the trees I suppose. I've created a poster in bright red with “Who do you know who may be interested in what I offer?” and have it right by my phone already! Great tip Karen - thank you. Sue Atkins It’s amazing just by changing our language slightly we can change our mindset, attitude and feelings. The words I always notice in other people when I’m coaching them is “must, should, need to or ought to” as they always sound like judgement words which can often hold people back. Open ended questions always create better creative solutions and open people up to possibilities but it’s funny how I have not used this myself in my business….. wood for the trees I suppose. I’ve created a poster in bright red with “Who do you know who may be interested in what I offer?” and have it right by my phone already! Great tip Karen – thank you.

Sue Atkins

]]> By: Karen Skidmore http://www.candocanbe.com/marketing-small-business/business_referrals_how_to_ask_for_the/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Karen Skidmore Sun, 10 May 2009 18:32:45 +0000 http://www.candocanbe.com/?p=639#comment-58 Thanks for stopping by and adding your thoughts, Helen. And love the name of you business - "Niggle". I can see how you can help solve many clients' niggles :) Thanks for stopping by and adding your thoughts, Helen. And love the name of you business – “Niggle”. I can see how you can help solve many clients’ niggles :)

]]> By: Helen Cammack http://www.candocanbe.com/marketing-small-business/business_referrals_how_to_ask_for_the/comment-page-1/#comment-54 Helen Cammack Fri, 08 May 2009 19:04:05 +0000 http://www.candocanbe.com/?p=639#comment-54 I've just joined your group Karen and this post really rings true for me. My business is in customer feedback, and we find that phrasing the question just slightly differently can lead to dramatically different response rates. As you say, if customers are asked a closed question like, "Do you have any comments?" they'll often think or say, "No". But asking open questions like "What did you like best?" or "What would you change?" allows them to be more creative and something interesting will often come out. Great and thoughtful blog, I'm looking forward to more! I’ve just joined your group Karen and this post really rings true for me.

My business is in customer feedback, and we find that phrasing the question just slightly differently can lead to dramatically different response rates.

As you say, if customers are asked a closed question like, “Do you have any comments?” they’ll often think or say, “No”. But asking open questions like “What did you like best?” or “What would you change?” allows them to be more creative and something interesting will often come out.

Great and thoughtful blog, I’m looking forward to more!

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