Ever wondered why people buy from people? It’s simple: people trust people. A referral is an extremely powerful exchange when it comes to business as it almost always converts to a new client. Why? Because the referral gives you instant value and credibility and trust has already been established for your potential client, and all at the very start of the relationship.
I’m Heather Townsend, author of Poised for Partnership and co-author of How to Make Partner & Still Have a Life. I’m the leading global expert in what it takes to move from senior fee earner to partner . Here are 5 ways to work with me.
SUMMARY: To increase referrals, make it easy for people to refer you, ask clients directly (starting with your newest and happiest), deliver exceptional work, give referrals yourself, thank those who refer you, and stay visible and in regular contact with your network. Most referrals come from people who already know and trust you, so consistent relationship-building is what makes them keep coming.
Make it easy and natural for people to refer you
- Make it easy to be referred. Add a short line to your email signature saying you welcome introductions, keep your contact details on everything, and respond quickly.
- Ask for referrals. Be specific about who you want to meet or what work you want. Start with new clients, who are usually the happiest and have untapped networks.
- Ask for feedback. Find out what clients value and where you can improve. It strengthens the relationship and makes them more likely to recommend you.
Give value before you expect it
- Give referrals. Introducing people who can genuinely help each other builds goodwill, and people naturally want to return the favour.
- Provide value to everyone involved. A good introduction benefits the referrer, the person introduced and you. Do outstanding work so the referrer looks good for recommending you.
- Thank the referrer. Acknowledge every referral, perhaps with a public shout-out (with permission). Check your firm’s rules and anti-bribery legislation first, especially in the public sector.
Build visibility and credibility
- Build a visible identity. Show up consistently online and offline so you’re hard to forget.
- Share your expertise. Post useful insights on platforms like LinkedIn so people think of you as the go-to expert in your field.
Grow and nurture your network
- Meet new people. Attend conferences, events and industry groups. More quality connections mean more referral opportunities.
- Always agree a next step. Before you part, suggest something concrete, like a coffee in the next couple of weeks, rather than a vague “let’s keep in touch.”
- Follow up within 48 hours. Send a short, personal message, ideally referencing a problem you could help solve.
- Maintain relationships. Most referrals come from existing contacts, so stay on their radar by sharing relevant advice and engaging with their posts.
How long does it take to increase referrals?
There’s no overnight fix. Referral growth builds gradually, but if you make these habits part of everyday client service, introductions should arrive consistently.
12 proven tactics to get more referrals that can seriously grow your client base.
1. Make it easy to be referred
Your clients won’t know you’re looking for referrals unless you make it known, so add a line to your email signature to let them know you are open to them. Always make sure that your contact details are on all correspondence and that you’re responsive. The easier you make it to be referred, the more your clients will refer you.
2. Ask for referrals
If you don’t ask, you don’t get. You may feel like it is too pushy to ask but if your clients are happy with your work, they’ll be happy to help. Just be specific with who you’re looking to meet or the type of work that you want and always try to make it mutually beneficial. A good tip when asking your clients for an introduction or referral is to ask your new clients first. Not only will they likely be the happiest with your work at that moment, but their network is completely untapped too.
If you’d like a bit of help to get referrals and win work for your firm this guide is for you! Get your hands on my free guide to getting referrals (over 50 tried and tested tips to help your network pass more work to you. Click to Get the Guide Here
3. Ask for feedback from your clients
Talk to your current clients and ask what they like or don’t like about your offerings. Not only will this help you to make improvements to get more referrals from those who buy from you, but it will also cater to the needs of your existing customers and increase the likelihood of referrals there too. (Discover the types of referral frictions you will need to overcome)
4. Give a referral
You give what you get, so make a habit of making relevant and mutually beneficial introductions between people in your network. Refer your client to another high-quality contact that will help them in a huge way. When you help someone and provide value, they naturally want to reciprocate.
5. Provide value
Every introduction or referral should benefit all three parties involved: the two recipients and the introducer. As the referral reflects the person who is referring you, your job is to reassure them that you can provide value so that they will look good. The way to do this is to deliver exceptional work for them and to share your specific experience, expertise or accomplishments that will help their contact. Only then will they be motivated to introduce you.
6. Say thank you to the referrer
There’s power in having an incentive, so give your clients one for referring you. Think about how you can reward them for their effort? It could be a simple social media post about them and their company. (With their permission of course!) Or your firm’s marketing team may have an established process for saying ‘thank you’ to clients for new referrals. Do check what you can and can not do to say thank you, the last thing you want to do is fall foul of any current anti-bribery legislation. This is particularly pertinent if you work within the public sector.
Are you struggling to win work for your firm? Get your hands on my free guide to getting referrals (over 50 tried and tested tips to help your network pass more work to you. Click to Get the Guide Here
7. Build a visible identity
Being visible online and being in front of your clients is very important when it comes to referrals. Not only does a strong presence and social activity establish you as a thought leader, but it also differentiates you from others and makes you hard to forget. You can do this through offline methods too to stay front of mind.
8. Spread knowledge in your industry’s community
In today’s world of marketing, information is power. Not only that, but more and more people are buying products and services that they see on social media. If you can provide people with what they want or need, e.g. by being active on social media such as LinkedIn and Twitter, people will be much more likely to refer you to their family, friends, and colleagues. Think about the best way that you can establish you and your company as the go-to expert.
9. Meet new people
If you’re thinking about “how to increase my referrals?” why not cast a wide net and build a strong professional network? Attend conferences and events and get involved with relevant groups and organisations where you can. After all, the more quality connections that you make, the more opportunities you will have for potential referrals.
10. Always provide the next step for future contact
Meeting someone at a networking event is simply the first step toward developing a referral relationship with them so don’t go away without making the next step for future contact. It could be as simple as “it was really great to meet you, would you be open to maybe getting a coffee within the next couple of weeks to learn more about each other’s business and how we might be able to help each other out?” Once they agree, you can then arrange a meeting rather than just sending a generic follow up.
Take a step forwards to working on your own career development and sign up to my weekly newsletter here and you’ll find out what you need to be working on (and how to make the time for your career development) to progress your career in your firm.
11. Don’t forget to follow up
Always, always follow a meeting with a quick follow up email within 48 hours. You don’t want your networking efforts to go to waste so don’t allow yourself to be forgotten! Always try to include something personal such as a problem that they have that you can help solve as this will increase the chances of them getting back to you to arrange a meeting.
We have a great course in our Progress to Partner Academy called How to Make the Time for Business Development. It takes about 2-hours to work through and create a daily business development habit that you can stick to.
12. Maintain and build relationships
Most referrals come from your existing clients, from the people that know you, the way you work, and what you offer, so stay on their radar. Always work to build your relationships by keeping in contact regularly, sending them relevant advice or information or by sharing their social media posts.
FAQS
What is the best way to get more referrals?
Ask satisfied clients directly and specifically, and make it easy for them to say yes. Newer clients are often the best place to start.
Is it pushy to ask clients for referrals?
Not if they’re happy with your work. Being specific about who you want to meet and keeping the exchange mutually beneficial makes the ask feel natural.
Should I reward people for referring me?
A thank-you is a good idea, but keep it simple, such as a public acknowledgement. Always check your firm’s policies and anti-bribery rules first.
Where do most referrals come from?
Mostly from existing clients and contacts who know your work, which is why regular contact matters.
How soon should I follow up after meeting someone?
Within 48 hours, with a personal message and a clear suggested next step.
Need more Help to build a Referral Network?
Business Development success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time! When you start building and nurturing a referral network, you will see slowly start to see the benefits, and your partners will notice you!
I have carefully curated some of my best advice, guides and exercises on how to build a Referral Network from Progress to Partner Academy and they are available to you here!
You can access this Referral Network section for just £6 (£5+VAT)! You can watch my videos on:
- How to earn the right to have a conversation
- How to turn a conversation into business
- How do I generate business when I can’t meet people for coffee
- How to go from coffees, to instructions
and more! Your future self will thank you for it!
Take a step forwards to working on your own career development and sign up to my weekly newsletter here and you’ll find out what you need to be working on i(and how to make the time for your career development) to progress your career in your firm.
I’m Heather Townsend, author of Poised for Partnership and co-author of How to Make Partner & Still Have a Life. I’m the leading global expert in what it takes to move from senior fee earner to partner . Here are 5 ways to work with me.
