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There are few marketing tactics that work better than a referral. Instant credibility. The personal seal of approval. No wonder we all covet them. So, we sit back and wait. After all, our clients love us. Surely they are out there telling everyone they know how good we are. Right?
Wrong.
Let me ask you a couple questions.
1. Do you really expect your clients to remember the full range of services you offer?
2. Is it your client’s job to know how to describe your services to interest new clients?
Remember, it’s not that your clients don’t want to give you a referral, it’s just that it probably doesn’t even occur to them. And even if it does, they need a little help from you to do it well.
So you need to do your part. Ask them. Be sure to frame your question to help your client really hone in on the right kind of prospect. This means you need to do your homework. You need to be able to describe what kind of business is the best fit for you.
Think of the clients that you have the strongest, most mutually beneficial relationship with. What do they have in common? Size? Type of work? Location? Category of business?
You get the idea. It makes sense that other businesses with those same traits would be a natural fit. Create a client profile that really captures your ideal client. Then, see if your clients can help you find a few more.
Once you’ve got your client profile ready, share it with your clients. I’m betting many of them will have someone they’d like to introduce you to.
So, which client are you going to take to lunch this week?