consider the quality

A warm referral is always better than a cold call.

🙅‍♀️ NO 🙅‍♀️

Sometimes a warm referral is good. But there are definitely instances that the warm referral actually stops you from an opportunity you could have had if you had approached it as a cold call. We can get into cold call strategies in another discussion.... (stay tuned).

Some nuggets to ponder before asking for a warm referral
🔹 How well does the person introducing you know the other person?
🔹 How is the person referring you viewed by the person you are seeking the referral to?

We all have perceptions and biases. When you add a referral to the mix, you are facing the biases related to the other person, coupled with who you are. In some cases, that could be a good thing but not always. All this to say, a warm referral isn't always the right choice.

There is something to be said for authentically standing on your own merits.