How My Coaching Client Got Referrals From A Rejection | Donald C. Kelly - 1989

How My Coaching Client Got Referrals From A Rejection | Donald C. Kelly - 1989

From The Sales Evangelist by Donald C. Kelly

March 30, 2026 · 17 min · Episode 1989

About this episode

Donald C. Kelly shares a LinkedIn strategy that helped his coaching client turn a rejection into five referrals.

It’s early in the morning, and you’re getting ready to look for prospects on LinkedIn. Every conversation is a precious gem, but how can you shine while reaching out? I have a LinkedIn strategy that helped my coaching client. I’m telling you it works because he got five referrals from using it. Breaking Through the Noise on LinkedIn One of the biggest challenges right now is standing out on LinkedIn. A strategy I’ve been using with a coaching client helped him build momentum when his pipeline was low. He focused on a specific conference and engaged with people who liked or commented on the posts. From there, he sent personalized connection requests along with short videos or voice messages to show he was a real person. No pitch right away, just starting the conversation and building engagement. Turning a “No” into Referrals One conversation stood out. He connected with someone who had used his software before but didn’t need it anymore. Instead of moving on, he asked a simple question: who else do you know that could benefit from this? That one question turned into five referrals from a single “no.” Maximizing Every Opportunity Too many people walk away from conversations too…

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