Does your solopreneur practice go in phases of feast or famine? Some weeks are so busy you hardly get a break while other weeks you worry if you will be able to pay your bills.
Creating a balance can be tricky, but you can do it and I am here to help you magnetize and amplify your personal referral steam engine.
Here are the three steps:
#1 – Take a blank sheet of paper and make a list of 10-20 clients who energize and inspire you. Simply stated, you want to meet more clients that are like you. The key to this step is to pick clients who have ideal features with which you resonate. Some examples of ideal clients include the following:
- A client who is a huge supporter of your work and its results.
- A client who is punctual.
- A client who inspires you with their attitude and approach to life.
- A client who is sincere and honest.
- A client who is generous with their thoughts and is genuinely humble.
You now have your list of clients and what traits that energize and inspire you. Now you can move forward into feeling comfortable about getting more of those ideal clients.
#2 – Are you currently communicating to your clients now to let them know that that you are available to work with their friends, family members and co-workers? Perhaps you are not doing so because you feel like it sounds desperate or a bit sales like. Well, let me help you change how that sounds, this really should help. It took me a few years in my own practice to master the how-to on having simple referral conversations that were not from some creepy sales 101 books. So, here is how I ask a client for a referral. I would say to my client something similar to this:
“Sue, I appreciate the work we do together. You have made huge strides in {list the key benefit provided}. I especially enjoy your positive attitude and determination. You truly are amazing to work with. If you have any friends, family or co-workers who could benefit from the service I provide for you, it would be an honor to work with them. I will value them and help in any way I can just as I do with you”.
#3 – The follow up. Write a thank you note to the client who was gracious enough to refer one of their trusted friends or family members. I have a list of all my clients’ addresses uploaded to an online card service. This helps me write a note of appreciation in just a few minutes. The card service does all the work of printing and mailing. I love that you can send 5,000 cards or simply send one.
Now you know the who, the how and the follow up to get abundant referrals. Get this started right away to keep your lead generation actively in place through an authentic and regular referral strategy. Let me know how this works for you, I would love to hear about it.
This article was inspired by insights derived from the Book Yourself Solid system. More tools can be found at Book Yourself Solid or here.
- 10 Ways to Ensure Brand Synergy That Sticks - May 12, 2012
- Maximize Your Lead Gen with the Authenticity Factor - April 26, 2012
- 3 Easy Steps to Abundant Referrals - April 26, 2012
