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Sandler Rule #52: Money Does Grow on Trees — Referral Trees
By Glenn Mattson, Mattson Enterprise Inc.
I’ve met a lot of sales professionals who tell me referrals are important—and then I look at their calendar, their pipeline, and their behaviors.
And referrals are nowhere to be found.
That gap is the problem.
Sandler Rule #52—Money Does Grow on Trees—isn’t a clever phrase. It’s a reminder that referrals are not something you stumble into. They’re something you build. And like anything else in sales, what gets built is a direct reflection of behavior.
If referrals aren’t showing up consistently, it’s not because your clients don’t like you. It’s because referral behavior isn’t part of your system.
Referrals Are Easier—So Why Aren’t You Getting More?
Here’s the irony: everyone agrees referrals are easier to close.
They trust you faster.
They move quicker.
They push back less.
Yet most people still spend the majority of their time chasing cold or lukewarm opportunities.
Why?
Because referrals feel optional.
And optional behaviors don’t survive busy schedules, full calendars, or emotional months. Sandler teaches that consistency—not intensity—drives success. Referral trees grow the same way.
The Problem with “Just Ask”
Most advice around referrals is vague: Just ask more.
That doesn’t work.
Random asking creates pressure. Pressure creates avoidance. And avoidance kills consistency.
Referral trees don’t grow from awkward asks. They grow from clear positioning and intentional conversations.
When clients understand:
Who you work best with
What problems you solve
Why you’re selective
referral conversations stop being uncomfortable. They become logical.
Referral Trees Are Built Before You Ever Ask
One of the biggest mistakes I see is waiting until the relationship feels “perfect” to bring up referrals.
By then, it’s too late.
In Sandler, we talk about setting expectations early. Referral conversations should be no different. When referrals are positioned as part of how you grow your business—not something you spring on clients at the end—they feel natural.
No surprise.
No pressure.
No awkwardness.
That’s how trees get planted.
Behavior Is the Root System
Referral success has nothing to do with personality and everything to do with behavior.
That includes:
Regularly educating clients on who you help
Mapping networks instead of guessing
Following up on introductions promptly
Reinforcing referral behavior with gratitude and professionalism
If these behaviors aren’t scheduled, tracked, and reviewed, referrals become accidental. And accidental systems don’t scale.
At Mattson Enterprise, we call this cookbooking—defining the behaviors that drive predictable outcomes.
If referrals matter, they belong in your cookbook.
Why Referral Trees Are So Profitable
Referral trees aren’t just easier—they’re smarter.
Referral-based relationships tend to:
Close faster
Stay longer
Refer others
Require less selling effort
That’s not luck. That’s leverage.
Professionals who rely solely on cold outreach are constantly starting over. Referral trees create momentum. Over time, they reduce prospecting stress and stabilize revenue.
That’s what sustainable growth looks like.
Equal Business Stature Changes the Conversation
Referral conversations fall apart when salespeople put themselves in a lower position—hoping someone will help them.
That’s not how Sandler teaches it.
Equal business stature means referrals are a professional conversation, not a favor. When you respect your own process, clients respect it too.
The moment you stop apologizing for wanting referrals is the moment referral trees start growing.
Consistency Beats Talent Every Time
I’ve seen average salespeople with strong referral systems outperform highly talented people who never built one.
Why?
Because referral trees reward discipline.
They don’t respond to bursts of effort. They respond to steady, intentional behavior over time. Most people give up before the tree has a chance to grow.
The professionals who stick with it end up with something far more valuable than a full pipeline—they build a self-sustaining source of business.
Final Thought
Sandler Rule #52 isn’t about hoping money appears.
It’s about understanding that money follows behavior.
If you want more referrals, stop waiting for them.
Start behaving like someone who expects them.
Plant the tree.
Water it consistently.
Protect the roots.
That’s how referral trees grow.
And that’s how money follows.
