Did you know that your best source of “advertising” for your business is word-of-mouth? It is. It’s been shown that business owners and individuals would prefer to do business with someone they “know, like and trust.” This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to personally interact with everyone in order to draw them into your network, but it does mean you need to learn how to ask your satisfied clients for a referral.
It may take you a bit to work up your nerve to make this request, but when you consider that your current clients enjoy working with you, the “ask” should be easier. Here are my tips for requesting a referral:
- Be bold and simply ask. If you don’t ask, they won’t know you’d like one and you won’t receive one. Simple as that.
- If you receive a referral, respond to the referral partner and the prospect on the same day if possible. Make certain you are also responding personally to a referral, don’t hand it off to an employee.
- Once you’ve received a referral and have connected, let your referral partner know how it went. Thank them again.
- Saying thank you by sending a gift is generally considered good form, especially if the referral leads to business (and money in your bank account)
- Do you have an on-going referral program that your current clients know about? Create a program and announce it to your current clients. Offer incentives for referrals.
When is the last time you asked for a referral?