One of the best ways to get new clients is by referrals from current or past clients. Sometimes satisfied clients refer you to friends and colleagues naturally. That is something to celebrate! More often, you’ll get better results by prompting and encouraging your clients to do this.
I recommend that you send clients an email and ask this question: “What can I do to make it easy for you to refer people who will benefit from what I do?”
Test this idea with a few of your top clients to see how it works. Choose clients who might share what you do on Facebook or send you nice notes. Some people won’t respond to the email, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to refer others. A lack of response could be because they:
• Skipped over the email and didn’t read it
• Are too busy to even think about it
• Aren’t motivated by your email alone
If you don’t get a response, your next step is to send another email. This time say something like, “Hi _____, I’m wondering if you have time to chat for five minutes. I would love to get your input on something I’m working on. Let me know when you’re free and I’ll give you a call then. Thanks.”
Put the request into your email subject line as well. You might find after clients speak with you briefly, they are more willing to think about who they know that could benefit from what you do. Different people respond to different types of communication and outreach, so mixing it up is a smart business practice.
When you have clients who love you, they want to do the right thing. They adore you and are thrilled with their results, but perhaps they haven’t taken the time to think about how they could help you. If you get them on the phone for five minutes, you can ask the question and see what comes of it. It’s a very low-pressure tactic that can produce great results.
Occasionally, you might need to do a little discovery work to find out if you’re doing anything that gets in the way of referrals. Once in conversation, ask if there is anything you do that makes it difficult to refer others. You could find out tweaking something small will encourage more referrals. Sometimes it’s as simple as giving people a short script so they won’t stumble over their words when bringing the subject up.
Your Client Attraction Assignment
Are you getting the referrals you want? Try simply asking your happy clients at the end of a session if they know anyone who could also benefit from what you do. An occasional reminder asking for referrals can help you drum up new prospects and build your business.
This is just one of the many best practices we dive deep into with the students of The Client Attraction Business School, the premier training school for growth-minded entrepreneurs looking to quickly attract more clients and make more money. If you’re interested in finding out more, visit www.ClientAttractionBusinessSchool.com for more details. To speak to an enrollment coach, click here.
