Getting referrals is a great way to grow your business. Your first stop should be your circle of friends, employees, partners, and, most of all, your existing clients. Rather than asking all your contacts for referrals, begin with a small list of contacts whom you think might know some of your desired customers and establish a systematic approach to ask for referrals.
Here are a few tips to consider:
- Among all people who can provide referrals, select a small list of contacts whom you believe may personally know your desired customer. For example, your existing customers might know other people similar to themselves, who share a common unmet need, want or frustration which matches your product or service.
- The referrers may be wary of vouching for your company as it might result in strained relationships. Therefore, choose contacts who already know and trust your business.
- Ensure the people you are asking for referrals understand specifically why you are asking them.
- Be very clear about what you are asking for, and how the referred customer will benefit from doing business with you.
- Convincing your referrers to give you the contact information directly rarely works. That approach can make your contacts feel uncomfortable as they do not remain as intermediaries. So instead, just make it easy for them to introduce you to their connections by providing an introduction message template.
- Draft a personal message asking for a favour along with the introduction message template. Take the time to personalize each request, and do not try to save time by sending mass emails, as it seems like an inauthentic request.
- Allow your referrer to simply forward your email to their relevant contacts or to tweak the message and share it on whatever channel they prefer. If possible, ask them to copy you on the message for an easy reply.
Here is an example of a referral request email with a ready-to-forward prewritten introduction message that explains what you are looking for, the amount of time required, and an assurance of privacy.
Hello Charlotte,
We are currently looking to find a few other Business Consulting Clients in Canada, so I was wondering if you have anyone to refer to us. As a business owner, I know you have a ton of connections with other business owners, who, like you, are looking to grow their business. Could you help me by forwarding this message to a few relevant folks?
I’ll be reaching out to set up a one-hour meeting with your connections who respond, asking about their current business challenges and goals.
The consultation will not be something which requires any advanced preparation on their end; I believe that just by speaking with us, they will get lots of ideas about on how to improve their business. If it makes sense for them and us, I would then offer them an engagement proposal.
I’ve included a message below that you can forward, could you please CC me on the email?
Thank you in advance for your support!
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Hello,
I would like to introduce Rafael Giacomassi to you. He has been advising my Company, Outdoor Shoes Inc., for quite some time and we have had some significant results thus far. Rafael is an advisor for The Business Therapist® and he his team have a great approach to business advising which combines making decisions based on data and understanding how to deal with change resistance. Their overall goal is to provide more cash, freedom and happiness to independent business owners like us.
Rafael asked me to introduce a few good companies that I think can benefit from the work they provide, and I think your business would be an ideal fit for what they have to offer.
If you are interested in scheduling a free one-hour consultation, feel free to send him an email or submit the form in his website.
Rafael Contact: rafael@thebusinesstherapist.com | Phone: +1-226-773-2320
Thanks,
[include your name and contact information]
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We hope these tips can help you and your business get more clients with referrals. If you have any specific questions, please send us an email at rafael@thebusinesstherapist.com
