Referrals aren't some mystical force that shows up when you've sent enough gift baskets. They're a system you can build, track, and scale. Here's how to turn referrals from happy accidents into predictable pipeline.
Who doesn’t love a good referral?
Yet we sit back and pray and send smoke signals to the referral gods to bless us with more, instead of doing something about it ourselves.
I strongly believe referrals are a scalable source of leads. You just need a system to make them happen consistently.
“Oh wise referral god Jason, enlighten me on how I can scale my referrals, please”
I’m glad you asked nicely. đ
There is no black magic here to getting more referrals. It starts with asking for them.
Create a list of your clients and people in your network you’re happy to ask for help from. Set a task to ask 2 per week, every single week.
The key to that ask? Be specific about what you’re looking for. Don’t assume the person you’re asking knows your business well or who your ideal client is.
Not “anyone with a business,” but “B2B companies with 10 to 50 employees, on the East Coast, struggling with getting their marketing strategy right.” When you’re that clear, people’s brains start flipping through their contacts and attaching real names to your ask.
Repeat this process every 3-6 months to every person on your list. You’re just not that important that people won’t forget about you.
In one of my favorite businesses I built, Humanwrit.es (RIP ~2021), we made amazing notebooks. Some of our customers were large corporate clients who wanted to brand them and give them out. We pushed back HARD on them to not do it. We got them to rather include a note, a sticker or just brand the packaging, because the most memorable gifts are like presents, not branded USB cup warmers with your business logo on.
A great book on how to do gifting the right way, which will definitely drive referrals, is Giftology by John Ruhlin.
Some gifting ideas:
This one I’m hoping is common sense, but give referrals just as much as you get.
Become the person that connects people and connects businesses.
I think I’m close to a black belt in connecting people where I’ll get asked for recommendations and referrals often. It’s not only a good feeling to help others, but building this level of trust is what referrals are built on.
“What gets measured gets managed.”
(ChatGPT had to help me with this one. Couldn’t remember it! đ )
Want more referrals? Track your inputs.
I hope these tips help you build a process for generating referrals on a consistent basis.
And, if you know any businesses in the US or the UK that need help with lead generation and marketing because they don’t have the time or expertise and would like someone that can handle everything, all-you-can-eat style, send them our way. đ
We’d love you to share it with your friends, colleagues or your marketing team.
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