The Surprisingly Simple Secret to Getting a Steady Flow of Profitable Referrals

Nothing feels better than getting a new ideal client from one of your current clients or a colleague. It’s a confirmation that you are recognized as a valuable service professional.

A steady flow of profitable referrals means:

•  No more cold calling!
•  Your prospects are pre-sold and ready to engage.
•  Your close ratio goes up.
•  You have more time to do what you truly love.

Essentially, you earn more and market less. Sounds good doesn’t it?

While a perfect referral now and then is exciting, how can you get a steady flow of profitable referrals?

For years the gurus have said to get referrals you must ask for them. A lot of planners were reluctant to ask (and I think with good reason). So there were programs to help you overcome your reluctance. But this idea alone wasn’t working very well.

In 2012 there was 180 degree reversal and a new mantra: “Don’t ask! If you ask, you’re hurting your relationship with your clients and doing more harm than good”. Hmm?

To Ask or Not to Ask?

You see, whether to ask for referrals or not is circumstantial. The better question is: How will you make yourself referrable to your clients?

I used to struggle getting referrals. Then I learned a simple secret that I’d like to pass on to you:

Getting a steady stream of referrals is all about building a strong partnership with your clients from the get go.

An effective referral building strategy begins with clearly defining the specific characteristics and circumstances that make up your ideal client profile. Think about it… who do you love to work with? Who are you in sync with? And how are your unique services geared to that type of client?

Once you understand and have crafted your ideal client profile, it’s easy to reinforce with your current clients how they ARE an ideal client for you. And it’s natural for your clients to then recognize what a good fit your services are for them. Tell them often that you want more clients like them and they will introduce you.

This system is so simple and powerful that you won’t always have to ask for referrals, but if you do, you’ll have built such a solid partnership with your client that they are eager to refer others to you.

To Learn More

Want to learn more about getting a steady flow of profitable referrals? Look for my upcoming content rich no cost webinar: ”Getting a Steady Flow of Profitable Referrals.”

I look forward to hearing what challenges you’ve had with referrals, sharing my system and answering your questions so that you can make referrals you’re #1 business building strategy.

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