Get a referral by offering to give one?

We all know and understand the power of referrals.  Word of mouth is as potent as it gets.  You can't buy it or force it.  But you can encourage it.

John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing created a short video about how to get your strategic partners/vendors to help you grow your business.

What do you think? 

I think just the act of creating the referral guidebook on your company would be a very eye-opening experience.  I'd love to see yours, if you actually take this idea and run with it.

Who knows, this might create a series of case study posts.

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Comments

[Lewis Green]

Drew,

Welcome back and thank you for sharing your readers with me. I do what John suggests but more informally. I do have a one-pager that describes my ideal clients and I do have a packet that lays out some of the things John recommends. However, I don't mail it out. I only share it over coffee. Perhaps I need a better process. I think this only works if we have a large enough client base to offer referrals to others. And by large, I mean a history of a hundred or more clients. Even then a 1 percent success rate, for example, is but one job for one of my strategic partners.

[Sherry Borzo]

I like this idea very much. I sort of feel like I'm headed that way already. Perhaps a brief presentation with examples and further development would be of value? Thanks for pointing this idea out!

[John Jantsch]

Hey Drew Thanks for sharing this video. I can't emphasis enough that while this is a great way to get more referrals it is at it's core, and the only way it will pay off, a way to give more referrals.

[Drew McLellan]

Lewis,

I think talking it through over coffee is a smart idea and suspect John would agree. I think you could expand your list beyond clients to vendor/partners, chamber friends etc.

I have no doubt that there are many people in your neck of the woods who would be thrilled to refer people to you if they knew the right people to refer. You've earned their respect...so they'd probably feel very comfortable recommending you.

Drew

[Drew McLellan]

John,

My pleasure to share it. I have always believed the more you help other business people...the more help will come your way.

It comes back multi-fold. Thanks for sharing the video with us all.

Drew