Episode 666: The 5 Levels of a Referral (Classic Podcast)

This is a rebroadcast of Episode 548.

Since “666” is a number that means something sinister to some people, we thought we would do a podcast where “the devil is in the details.” This is a topic where the details are really important and we thought we’d have some fun related to the number. The topic is not evil, we promise. It is detailed though, so embrace that part.

Synopsis

At one point, Dr. Misner outlined 16 levels of a referral. But while writing the second edition of Networking Like a Pro, he realized that his levels should match the 5 levels on most BNI referral slips around the world.

These 5 levels of a referral are cumulative, and laid out in detail in the book.

You share the contact information of someone who expects to be contacted by your referral partner.You've also shared additional information (business card, marketing materials, website) about the person you're referring with the prospect.You give the prospect a personal testimonial about the person you're referring.You make a personal phone call and arrange a meeting between the prospect and the person you're referring.You make an in-person introduction between the prospect and the person you're referring.

The lower the level of referral, the higher the level of difficulty in turning it into business. Your goal should be to give referrals that are at least a level 3.

The 5 levels of a referral are in Chapter 36 of Networking Like a Pro: Second Edition. You can also read more about them on Dr. Misner's blog.

Brought to you by the Networking for Success Channel on YouTube.

Transcript of Episode 548

Priscilla:Hello everybody and welcome back to The Official BNI Podcast, brought to you by the Networking for Success Channel on YouTube, which features Dr. Ivan Misner and many other networking experts. I am Priscilla Rice, and I am coming to you from Live Oak Recording Studio in Berkeley, California. I am joined on the phone today by the Founder and the Chief Visionary Officer of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. Hello, Ivan, how are you and where are you?

Ivan:Hi Priscilla. I am doing great and I am in Charlotte NC at the new Global Support Team headquarters, at the global headquarters at BNI, which moved there about a year or so ago, and that is where I am at this week.

Priscilla:Great. Tell me about the five levels of a referral.

Ivan:Five levels of a referral- for many years I have had, you know, books that I had written that talk about the various levels of a referral. I had broken it down at one point, I think it was 16 levels of a referral in Business by Referral. I narrowed that down in the first edition of Networking Like a Pro. But in the second edition, I had BFO.

Have I ever told you what a BFO is? It's not bad. It's a blinding flash of the obvious. The blinding flash of the obvious was: why aren't my levels of referrals matching the BNI levels of a referral? You know, instead of twelve or ten or whatever, why not match the five levels of referral (of BNI)? Most referral slips around the world have five different levels.

So in Networking Like a Pro, I laid out in detail the five levels of a referral. I am going to give a summary of them to you today on this podcast. This is right out to the Second Edition of Networking Like a Pro. It has already hit a best sellers list. it is like a mandatory manual for chapters. It's a great book. I really recommend it for individuals or for chapters.

There is a section on the five levels levels of a referral and I am going to give you a summary of that here. The details are in the book. Understand that all five levels are mostly cumulative so that when you give a level two referral, it includes what is in level one plus what is in level two. Does that make sense? It's not standalone. Three is cumulative of one and two, etc.

So a level one referral- oh and by the way, if you are listening to this you may be surprised that level and four and level five referrals have bee...