Customer references can make the difference between a closed sale or a lost one.
But there's a time and a place to introduce your prospects to your customers. It's not in the beginning of the sales process, when many prospects ask. It might not even be in the middle of your process if you haven’t already done a good job addressing their concerns.
In fact, most of the time, salespeople should rely on references only as a last resort and toward the end of their sales process. As Dave Kurlan, best-selling author, top speaker, and sales development thought leader explains, “Any reference request is a momentum stopper and at best extends the sales process. At worst, it will delay it indefinitely.”
So, how should you handle prospects who ask for references, especially if it’s too early in your sales process?
