The Referral Reluctance
"Pretty good" isn't good enough, neither is "too good" at times.
Your best customers love what you do. They tell you so. The return orders prove it. Yet sometimes, they don't tell their friends about you.
Sometimes, they don't because they're protecting something precious.
Sometimes though, it is because sharing is work. Not the clicking or the talking. The emotional work. Every referral is a loan against their reputation. If their friends have a bad experience, they don't blame you. They blame your customer.
There is also that fear. What if that perfect little coffee shop in the corner gets crowded? What if that special place becomes everyone's place? They hoard what they can't afford to lose.
The restaurant was perfect last Tuesday. But what if the chef quits tomorrow? Satisfaction is transactional. Sharing though, is - transformational.
The accountant who saved your business, not just your taxes. The trainer who changed how you see yourself, not just your weight. The consultant who revolutionised your thinking, not just your operations.
People don't share what is good enough. They share "you have to experience this." They don't refer competence. They refer magic. And when their friends experience the same magic, the reluctance dissolves.
Give them a story worth telling.
That's not marketing. That's generosity. And that's when remarkable happens.
