Referral marketing is one of the best ways to find pre-qualified leads for your business.  When your existing clients share with their friends and associates how much you’ve been able to help them, there is no better testimonial.

Even so, many information marketers hesitate to ask for referrals.  Part of the reason is they feel uncomfortable, like they don’t know how to ask.

Before we get into that subject, let’s make one thing perfectly clear.  If you’re offering value to your clients, it’s your responsibility to reach out and find other people who need your help.  They’re waiting for you, and if you’re not trying to find them, you’re not doing your job.  If you’re not offering value to your clients…we’re not going to go there.

So, beyond just asking, what are some creative ways to approach your existing clients for referrals?  Here are five ideas to get you started:

1.    Greeting cards

When you send your request for referrals to your client, send it in the form of a greeting card.  Greeting cards, personally addressed, get opened.  Make the message something that will really capture their attention – cute, funny, touching, inspiring – and ask them to call or e-mail you with the names and contact details for other people you might be able to help.

Alternately, you could send a card and enclose several of your specialized business cards.  These business cards need to have printing on both sides.  On the front, the traditional name and contact information should be clearly printed.  On the back, put a call to action like “Get your free consultation!  Call (555) 555-5555 or visit www.GetMyConsultation.com.”  Then simply ask your client to give the business cards to their associates who could benefit from a free consultation with you.

2.    Gift certificates

Send a note of appreciation to existing clients and enclose three gift certificates.  Let them know that one is for them to use with your existing products and services, and the other two are for them to share with their associates.  They will be thrilled that you’re giving them the gift certificate, and when they give the others away, they’ll tell their friends how great you are.

Also keep in mind, that most people will spend more than the face value of the gift certificate.  Make the gift certificates an amount that’s high enough to cover the cost of one of your lower-end products, plus a little bit more.  It’s a very sound strategy that’s been proven to work in pretty much every market.

3.    Teleseminars, webinars, mini-seminars

Host a mini-seminar in a location that’s central to several of your clients.  Make this a “get things done” seminar where you really delve into the material that they’ve already purchased from you.  Send your clients in that area an invitation, and tell them the cost of admission is one friend who is not currently your client.

You can also accomplish this with teleseminars and webinars, but the set-up is slightly different.  Send the invitations to your clients and, again, tell them the cost of admission is one friend who is not currently your client.  But this time, also let them know the all-in or log-in details will be sent to them once their friend registers for the session.

4.    Prepared endorsement postcards

Create an endorsement message for your clients to send out to their associates.  Write a compelling message and have it printed in handwriting font on a package of postcards.  Then place sufficient postage on each postcard so they can simply be signed, addressed and dropped in the mail.

Send a few postcards to your client along with a letter asking them to sign and send the postcards to their associates.  Be absolutely certain your request tells them to only send the postcards if they agree with the message.  And make the message honest.  Something like this is great:

Dear (leave a space for them to write in the name),

I didn’t actually write this postcard.  I’ve been working with a great accountant and he asked me if I knew anyone else who could use help with cutting their taxes, keeping more of their income in their pocket, and maintaining the lifestyle they want to live.  So he wrote this postcard and asked me to send it out to anyone who could benefit from his services.  Check out his website and see if he can help you as much as he helped me.  It’s http://www.TheTaxSavingAccountant.com.  Or call him at (555) 555-5555.

Take care,
(leave space for them to sign their name)

5.    Double bonus delivery

When you ship your product to your client, enclose a second copy of your product bonus and ask them to share it with a friend.  Tell them that you’re expanding your business and would like to find other people just like them.

Place a sticker on the bonus copy and tell the recipient to contact you because you would like to send them a free gift just for taking the time to look at your material.  Include your name, website address, e-mail address and phone number so it’s very easy for them to contact you.  You should also give your existing client a special thank you gift when their associate contacts you for more information.

The key to successful referral marketing is taking care of your clients.  If they love you and what you have to offer, they will be happy to share that with others they come into contact with.  All you have to do is ask.