All businesses rely upon referrals to some degree. Regardless of your industry, it is incredibly important to live up to the compliment when someone refers business your way. Don’t let that person down… perform at your best and you will find that they will refer more business to you in the future. Here are a few tips for getting referrals.

• Ask. Really… I mean it. It is so simple yet so many people just don’t do it. Whatever the reason may be… too shy, over confident, too busy… it never pays to be silent! Most satisfied clients are very happy to refer new prospects your way, but they simply won’t think of it if you don’t ask.

• Time it right. When a project is completed, confirm the client is satisfied and then ask them to refer you to others who may benefit from your services. Always ask the customer when their happy results are still fresh.

• Track them. Keep track of who is sending you referrals, what type of work they are and if you win the business. By doing this, you will get a good feel for how you are doing in a particular area. If you don’t get the business, always ask why so that you may improve your value proposition.

• Build trusting relationships. Create satisfied clients through meaningful interactions. If you are helpful and valuable to your clients, they will be more likely to trust that you will take care of the people you refer them to.

• Follow up. Be prompt in your follow-up with referrals. Always contact someone right away following the initial point of connection.

• Provide great service. Treat your referral as you would any existing or prospective client and then do it better! Make your referral source look great by taking extreme care to provide the best customer experience you can.

• Thank your sources. Always thank the person who made the connection for you. Regardless of the outcome, make a personal call or send a note thanking them for thinking of you. Whenever possible, refer business back to them as the ultimate thank you.

Referrals will provide you with pre-screened new business.  As an added bonus, you will also earn a great sense of pride in what you do and feel good about how you service your clients.  Having an existing client refer you to someone is a great barometer for your services.  Of course, you know to always treat any client with respect, but consider going the extra mile to be super helpful for your productive referral sources. You will always see results in return.