Asking for Referrals...

We have found success in packaging a promotional gift with a nice letter and some business cards. Also, there are great promotional items that you can insert your business card into and ask friends and clients to give out to others. Everyone likes getting something fun and useful. It keeps your name out there in front of clients and potential clients.

Angela,

My business thrives on referrals. Like Gary, I send out a thank you letter to my clients and simply state that referrals are welcomed and rewarded. I do reward them with a nice gift if the refer a client to me.

Another good time to seek referrals is when you expand your services. Sent out a letter also seeking new clients.

I also found that teaming with other professionals where you have a synergy can lead to good referrals.

Angela, I'd also like to emphasize that you get what you ask for. And vice versa.

You need to find a way to get comfortable with asking for referrals. It is something you need to do, and it sets the proper tone with your clients. There are things you do as a professional - provide a written estimate, invoice people, write up a list of project requirements, etc - and one part of maintaining a professional relationship with your clients is asking them for referrals.

Find the verbiage that works for you. It doesn't have to be sales-y, it could be as simple as, "I'm glad you are satisfied with our project. And now that it is finished, I have some free time in my schedule, so if you know anyone who needs my services please give them my card."

There is another perspective here, too. If your customer is thrilled with your work, then they will refer you on to people they want to impress. "Oh my gosh, you HAVE to use Angela for this project! She is fantastic!" Giving their business associates a good lead on a great web designer puts a feather in THEIR cap.... so you asking them for referrals is helping THEM out as well!

Kinda changes the perspective a bit, huh? :-)

Angela,

We would be more than happy to help you out with any promotional campaign and hopefully save you a little money. You've always been very helpful to us, so it's the least we can do.

Great question, Angela, particularly since I'll need to figure something out for my wedding mediation business.

My services as a mediator, like yours as a designer, are personal. Meaning, it's our individual skills and talent that make up the product. When someone doesn't like our work they are, in essence, saying they don't like us. For me, that feels bad, something I'd want to avoid. It's not a rational thought, however, it is human. We just gotta work to change that mindset.

Personally, I find it a ton easier to define what success looks like for my client then we agree that they will recommend me if we hit the mark. So, at the end of a session or mediation I'm not asking for referrals, just confirming they're happy. Then they do the rest. Of course, I try to help them understand who to refer.

It's a bit tricky because people are reluctant sometimes to share that they've seen a mediator. That's where over-delivering as Christian suggests really worked for me.

Keep us posted on what you decide.

I think you'll find people are very receptive to providing referrals. Don't be shy, simply ask. My bet is the client will be thrilled. If you get a referral send them a thank you note or small gift. In this day and age it will really stand out.

Just keep your referral request simple and conversational. Something like "If you have any friends who need my help, let them know."

If someone gives you a compliment, you can reply with something like "Thanks... and make sure to tell your friends!"

You can even compliment your customers and make it into a referral request at the same time: "It was a pleasure working with you - I need more customers like you!"

And try to avoid giving an impression of being too busy for new work. Nobody wants to give you a referral and then have you be too busy to help them.

Hi Angela, Justin is right, keep it simple.

Over our years in business, I find that if you treat customers and colleagues right, the referrals will come automatically. And if someone is particularly happy, it doesn't hurt to ask "pass my name along". We are all in the biz to survive, and people get it.

Also, someone mentioned a token thank you. If someone passes your name along, send them a personal thank you with maybe a gift card, doesn't have to be big bucks, just something to show your appreciation. Having been on both the giving and receiving end, it can go a long way!

I think a thank you with an offer of help to others works well. Thats what I am going to be doing soon.

We just got rated #1 (shameless plug) by our clients; so I've decided to send out a thank you to my clients and include a personal note with my cards.

An even better opportunity is to get the name/contact info yourself if possible.

Hi Angela,

I think offering something as a way of saying thank you to the referrer certainly helps. Also, whenever I work with clients I do make the effort to state that I always welcome referrals from them.

Taylor Ellwood http://www.imagineyourreality.com

Keeping it simple is so important. Turn the tables around: thank your clients for their business, tell them how much you enjoy working with them, and ask for a referral. This way they feel good, recognize the positive services and relationship you provide, and from there it is so easy for them to refer others to you, and perhaps you to others. (That kind of referral can be great because it's different and you're in the driver's seat: "SoandSo asked that I contact you, she explained that you are looking for suchandsuch service.") Best of luck - it's so important, and yet sometimes awkward to find the words and the moment.

Angela,

Just noticed this discussion. All excellent suggestions here.

On your question, should the person making the referral be thanked even if you didn't get a paying job/project from, it? I think the answer is, "Yes. Absolutely. Always."

I follow up and tell the person who went out of their way to try to send business my way what happened with the prospect. And I always say that, even though the connection didn't result in a working relationship (at least not right now) , their referral was very much appreciated and that it feels good that they have enough faith in me to pass my name along. Because a referral is really the best kind of compliment you can get.

Angela, you asked, Do I send a thank you for a referral, or for a referral that leads to a paying job?

I say you are rewarding the person for the referral. There are a gajillion ways that a job might fall through, but you want to appreciate people for passing your name along. The first referral from a person may not result in a paying gig. But the second? Third? Fifth? Who knows when their referral is going to be the "right one"? ALL of their efforts on your behalf are welcomed and appreciated. (And who knows, maybe a referral passes your name on to someone else who becomes a paying customer!)

So I think that a hand-written thank you for a referral is appropriate.

A small gift card for a referral that results in a paying job could be that little extra for referrals that pay off.

What a great conversation! I want to pipe about the importance of providing motivation. Your your biggest fans may have every intention to refer business to you, providing small motivators will get them to take action.

• Reward the leads that turn into referrals. And state that reward ahead of time.

When I was promoting my baby photography business, I advertised a free set of ten 4x6 photos to every referral that turned into a job. (The bulk of my profit was through prints, so the fact that the a set of 10 was valued at $100 for the customer, but only cost me $10 to print, made it particularly good "thank you gift.")

• On that note, don't forget that the thank you card should reinforce your brand.

Each person who referred someone to me, got a handwritten thank you card in the mail on a handprinted photo card. Those that turned into a paying job, received a second card later with a coupon for the 10 free prints.

• Give your clients a reason to refer their friends - Offer a special.

When I offered print specials on new shoots, I not only got returning customers but referrals too.

I have two friends right now that are offering specials - one is "2 hours for the price of 1," the other is "50% off." In both cases, I now have a reason to email all my other friends and say, "You know that person I've been telling you should go see/hire - she's having a special right now that you might want to take advantage of."

@ Lara - this is an excellent point. I have not pursued this enough and have been passively compiling ideas for a 'motivation campaign' as it were.

Our company released a (rather good and free)midyear market review - check out the webinar here and I'm thinking of sending that out with a thank you card to my clients.

@ Angela thank for spurring such great conversation!

If anyone would like a hard copy of our mid year review message me and i'll be happy to get one to you.