This is all simple. That doesn’t mean it’s easy
Main referral sources.
- Your clients, current and previous.
- Other professionals in your network.
Networking for referrals.
- Clients may only connect you with others in their organisation. Consider this, that organisation is their career network.
- Remember you’re in marketing mode, not selling mode. Expect lots of ‘interesting conversations’, not deals.
- Accept that many people in your network won’t be productive sources of referrals. They simply aren’t connector types.
For more referrals.
- Do great work.
- Become a people connector.
- Make it clear your business relies on referrals. A conversation about this is better than a direct ask.
- Be clear which issues, specifically, you help with.
- Nurture your most productive referral sources. Make sure they have exceptional experiences – ‘touch points’.
- Educate referral sources, so they’ll know when their connections have a need you can help with. This means your referral is pre-qualified.
A mini-mission.
- Make a list of your referral sources over the last year.
- Set a target for increasing the number of referrals you get from each of these people.
- Perhaps kick things off by sending a card (not email) to your most productive referral sources. Let them know how much you appreciate their support.
- Add a few more people from your network to the list, who you would like to get referrals from but haven’t yet.
- Decide, plan, and schedule a quarterly networking ‘touch-point’ for each person.
- Put a reminder for each ‘touch-points’ in your diary now.
- As each ‘touch-point’ reminder becomes due, take the action you’ve planned.
Let me know how you get on.