Too many resume writers make this mistake: they think prospects are earmarked for them only.
Truth be told, you’ll want to avoid working with every prospect.
I repeat … you shouldn’t close and work with every prospect that comes your way.
There are a few reasons for this. For example, some projects and prospects are too complex.
Engineering and scientific professions come to mind. These roles attract analytically minded professionals who can be challenging to write for. They provide detailed and sometimes excessive answers to the most straightforward resume intake questions.
Having a referral source at a higher price point can help you manage projects that may be “over your head” or prospects you believe will require more one-on-one attention than you can provide.
Referring prospects is easier than you might think.
When you want to refer a prospect, respond with something like this:
Jim – I appreciate the added detail you’ve given me about your career situation. It sounds like your in-depth career field will be more than I can handle at the moment with my current workload. Would you mind if I referred you to a colleague? You’ll be in great hands with the person I have in mind.”
Easy enough, right?
In this scenario, you’ve realized that the project will be time-consuming.
The prospect needs a more attentive resume writer, and referring this prospect to a colleague is ideal.
Okay, we’ve already covered having a colleague at a higher price point.
Now, let’s talk about having a couple of referral sources at lower price points.
You’ll need a resume writer who charges less and an administrative professional (e.g., a typist) as additional referral sources.
Let’s say you quote a prospect by phone, and they respond with something like this:
Unfortunately, I can’t afford that amount since I’m unemployed. My budget would be about half that amount.”
You could respond with this:
I completely understand Jim. In fact, I have a colleague in mind that offers services at your price point. Would you mind if I referred you to who I have in mind? You’ll be in great hands with him.”
Where to Find Ideal Referral Sources
You can begin by posting your query in RBIZ’s private Facebook group. If you are not a member, please join.
You can also use LinkedIn or your contacts database to find referral sources.
Finding a fellow resume writer who charges more and another who charges less isn’t too tricky.
Once you find one or two ideal candidates, you could spark up a conversation with something like this:
Hey there, Jennifer. I’m searching for an ideal referral source that I can refer prospects to going forward. If you remember, we sat next to one another at the last NRWA conference. I believe you’d be a good referral source for those who contact me that are a better fit with your resume pricing. Would you be open to receiving leads from me? There would be maybe 5-10 per month? Of course, I would require a 15% referral fee for those you close. Let me know.”
Of course, before you contacted Jennifer, you reviewed her resume examples and the service packages on her website.
You can find an ideal admin professional by checking the local online Yellow Pages or performing a Google search. You’ll approach an admin referral source in much the same way.
Jason – I’m seeking an administrative person to help individuals who need mild assistance with their resumes and have modest budgets. Is this something you’d be interested in? I’ll have maybe 2-3 dozen referrals to send you each year? Of course, I would require a 5% referral fee.
Notice how the referral fee for the admin person is much lower than that for fellow resume writers. The reason is simple: The admin operates at a much lower price point (e.g., less than $100).
How You Make Money From Your Referral Sources
Okay, now that we’ve discussed who you should have as referral sources, let’s discuss how you profit from these relationships.
If you haven’t read our post, “How to Create Profitable Referral Partnerships With Recruiters,” I highly recommend you do. The tips and strategies in that article align well with what we’re discussing here.
Essentially, referral partnerships work like this.
You refer prospects to a colleague, and he/she sends you referral checks for those closed. It’s that simple.
The most common referral rate is 15%.
Put Your Referral Sources in Place
Now that we’ve outlined your need for 3 primary referral sources print the below form. Research and put your referral sources in place so you begin profiting sooner rather than later.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Referral Source Form
