Referral Key Claims To Get You Referrals But Let's Verify Before We Trust It Hot

I received an email last week from Referral Key, inviting me to join its referral network.

After clicking on the email, I was engaged.

In seconds, I created an account, uploaded my profile, and began connecting wwith colleagues  I thought might be able to give me referrals and to whom I would feel comfortable giving referrals.

It was all done very well, and the one minute video provided was impressive. It said Referral Key is the world largest referral network and that in about a minute I would learn how to generate a referral today.

The video tells the story of a user whose friend, Susan, is looking for an accountant to prepare her taxes. The user says that he knows someone who is not only a good accountant but was even willing to reward him with $45 for every referral I sent him resulting in business.

In the video, the user sends his friend the accountant Susan’s contact information. Sending her contact information rather than waiting for Susan to get in touch with the accountant is 80% more likely to result in a sale, says the video.

Now, I started to become skeptical. Where did the 80% figure came from? And what about the privacy implications of handing out someone’s contact information without asking first?Moreover, how about the payment? Such a payment made by an RIA without proper disclosure would be against the law.

Still Referral Key was slick and could have some potential. 

While the way it entices you to upload all of your social networking or Outlook contacts makes me more skeptical, it could be that I'm just a curmedgeon.

So I am asking you. Have you used Referral Key? Have you had any success? Please post a comment and let us know.

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