Monthly Archives: May 2011

How to Waste a Great Referral

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I received the following email from one of my best evangelists.

Rick,

I just got off of the phone with Joe, I
believe he’s actually a genius. I just bought his book. I think where he’s
really really really good is …..

I am 100% positive that you will love talking to him. I think you are long
lost twins. Your approach to selling is very similar to what he calls……. Where I really see
value is in …..

Will you talk to him?

Regards,


I replied. Next week?

Then i got this email introduction.

Subject: Dual Introduction: Two Gurus

Hey Joe,

Rick Roberge is my coach. He has been my coach for the better part of a decade.
He’s helped me close millions of dollars of business. More importantly, he’s
taught me how to “help people do” what they need to do to achieve the
success they’d like to achieve. I think your systems and ways of thinking are
in sync with his.

As I shared with you, he’ll talk to anyone I ask him to. (We operate under this
understanding in both directions.)

I do not recommend sending him information. Just send him some days/times that
you’re available next week. He’s much easier than I am to schedule a call with.

Regards,




Is that a great introduction or what? I was looking forward to talking to Joe. My evangelist said that he was a genius and worth talking to. Notice also that my evangelist coaches Joe on how to approach me. He says that I’ll take Joe’s call simply because I was asked to take it. He also recommended that Joe didn’t need to send me info and that Joe should just suggest times that might work.

So, what did I get from Joe?

hi rick:

since i’m under orders to just speak with you
…god knows i have bazillions of pieces of data i can send …

just a couple of comments: my model is called
(I deleted the sales pitch) 

that’s it. i can’t say more until we speak

looking forward to finding my twin. gosh – all
these years and i’ve been twinless!! i’m SO excited!!

Joe

So, why would I want to talk to this person? Forget the fact that they can’t follow directions. I.E. – Joe sent me info that I didn’t ask for and didn’t offer times to talk. In addition, my wall is up. Joe’s looking to sell something and doesn’t really care whether or not I want to buy it.

As an aside, I appreciate the humor in the first clause and the last sentence and could see me saying something similar, but god, the stuff in between was such a turn off that I doubt that I’ll ever talk to Joe.