“We don’t refer people to each other.
We refer great people to our clients, who need them.
”
Coffee - any time, with any coloured liquid or food, where the purpose is to get to know each other - is a requirement for referrals. Time together is how you show that you understand your clients. And that's why people refer their clients to you.
Spending too much time is an ankle-twisting pothole. If I have the ability to meet you for coffee at 9:30 you'll think I scheduled you into my day. If I have the ability to sit there with you until 1:00 you'll feel like my babysitter.
Here's how to make yourself valuable tracking time:
1: When you first sit down, smile and say "What's your leave time?"
Your conversation partner might say "I've got all day" - in which case you know you just did yourself a favour - or they'll say "I've got an 11 o'clock".
2: Now {note: not before now} pull out your phone and say, "Great, I'll set an alarm for 10:20. That will give us a 10 minute buffer to be able to leave at 10:30."
3: Then put you phone back in your pocket, or on the bench beside you. Do not leave your phone on the table during a meeting. {Click here for interesting info on that.}
4: When the alarm rings pull your phone out, set it on the table, and hit snooze. That's the ten minute warning. (If you're at lunch this is the time to ask the server for your check.) When it rings again your conversation partner will feel the alarm, and see the time; hit snooze again and begin putting away notepads, business cards, things you've been using. It will just be natural, when you turn off the alarm at 10:30, to stand, stick out your hand, smile, and end the meeting.
Lunch appointments are essential to generate referrals. Work you get paid for is the result. A system for time is the way to use lunch to get money.