The Simplest Way to Get Referrals

In the most recent edition of his Referral Minute e-newsletter,  Bill Cates suggests the following "7 Simple Ways To Get More Referrals"—all of which have come from actual advisors who are successful referral-gatherers:

1. Call clients 2-3 weeks before their birthday and offer to take them and a few friends to lunch.
2. Valentines Lunch for women—especially widows, divorced, or single women.
3. Print social cards for retired clients. They no longer have business cards, but could probably use them from time to time. You can put a graphic on it that reflects one of their hobbies.
4. Host fun bi-annual or quarterly events for single clients and their referrals (focus on the fun, not finances).
5. Invite women to "High Tea" at a fancy hotel.
6. Become a Resource Center for your clients. Gather the names of CPAs, attorneys, painters, HVAC, plumbers, handymen (who actually return your call and show up on time), etc.
7. When your client is in your office, have your assistant take their car for a wash. (Bill warns that you should be careful and always go brushless, because "some people are VERY particular about how their car is washed."

These are great ideas, but one caveat.  Most of them (the exceptions being those events where you invite clients to bring their friends) are NOT ways to get more referrals.  They are, in fact, ways to delight your clients. 

You want delighted clients, don't get me wrong.  But I don't want you to fall into that all-too-common trap of thinking that if you just do a good enough job at client service, you'll get all the referrals you could ever want without ever bringing up the topic.

Not true.

The truth is, only a small percentage of clients will refer proactively, even if they think you're the cat's pajamas.  Most people are busy thinking about their own problems and schedules. They're not walking around with you at the top of their minds, waiting to shout your name from the rooftops.  But nearly all of them WILL be more than happy to introduce you to their family and friends... IF YOU ASK.

So first and foremost, YES, delight your clients!  (Here are nine more creative ways to do that... free registration required.) But make sure you also learn to identify great prospects in their networks and ask for introductions.  Because THAT is truly the simplest way to get more referrals.