Several years ago, Jeff Alexander introduced to the team here at Alexander’s what he calls “The Law of Referability.” The idea behind this law is that you are more likely to do business with people that you trust. You are also more likely to refer your friends to do business with these people.

Much of this idea stems from Dan Sullivan, who calls these “referable habits” in his book The Best Get Better. I’d like to mention a few of those “referable habits” below, and outline how they affect us in business.

1. Be on time. If you think that your time is more important than your customer’s time, you will lose credibility and turn people off.

2. Do what you say you will do. It goes a long way in establishing trust with people if you follow through on promises that you have made. Nobody will refer their friends to a business that does not have integrity.

3. Finish what you start. This gives you a track record that will instill confidence in those with which you work. Nobody likes a quitter.

4. Be polite. In the hustle and bustle of today’s world, we may forget to say please and thank you. We need to treat each other with respect, even if we disagree on certain points of view. Politeness brings appreciation and understanding to most situations.

By following these few points, we can show respect for other people’s schedules, values, and goals. In business, you can be talented, smart, and charming, and not be referable.

Being referable brings more opportunities to serve customers. This leads to more sales and higher profits.