This document provides tips and strategies for getting more referral business, including cultivating connections and asking for referrals in a thoughtful way. It recommends focusing on passionate clients who may refer others, making referrals part of your brand identity through taglines and calls to action, and finding your best referral sources to focus on caring for over time. The overall message is that referrals are important for service businesses and can be grown through relationship building, offering help, and making referrals a consistent part of your marketing.

1. I N G R A I N S O C I A L M E D I A
S T E P S T O G E T M O R E
R E F E R R A L B U S I N E S S
How to Generate
Referrals to Power
Your Business

2. Ignite Ideas
Help you build a solid foundation of habits and best
practices
Learn to cultivate your network for future growth
Referrals are a mandatory part of any service-based
business
WHY?
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3. 1
CONNECTION
A relationship in which a person, thing, or idea
is linked or associated with something else.
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4. I f y o u t h i n k o f y o u r s e l f o b j e c t i v e l y , l o o k i n g f r o m t h e o u t s i d e - i n , w h a t m e s s a g e
a r e y o u s e n d i n g ?
W h a t d o e s y o u r s p h e r e o f i n f l u e n c e s e e , h e a r , t h i n k o r a s s u m e a b o u t y o u ,
y o u r s e r v i c e s o r y o u r b u s i n e s s ?
W I K I P E D I A . O R G
#1What Message are you sending?
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1. Do clients see you as someone who is successful? ☐Yes ☐No
Explain why you answered yes or no-
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2. Do clients see you as someone who is passionate? ☐Yes ☐No
Explain why you answered yes or no-
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5. W I K I P E D I A . O R G
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3. Do clients see you as someone who cares? ☐Yes ☐No
Explain why you answered yes or no-
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4. Do clients see you as someone who is organized? ☐Yes ☐No
Explain why you answered yes or no-
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5. Do clients see you as someone with confidence? ☐Yes ☐No
Explain why you answered yes or no-
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6. P R O T I P :
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R e m o v e t h e w o r d " B u s y " f r o m y o u r
v o c a b u l a r y .
W h e n y o u t h i n k " b u s y " , y o u s t o p t a k i n g
o n n e w c h a l l e n g e s a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s .
A d d i t i o n a l l y , y o u r s p h e r e w i l l s t o p
r e f e r r i n g b u s i n e s s t o y o u b e c a u s e t h e y
d o n ' t w a n t t o m a k e y o u b u s i e r .
P e o p l e d o n ' t w a n t t o m a k e p e o p l e t o o
b u s y ! W e w a n t t h e m t o b e h a p p y ,
c o n t e n t a n d e x c i t e d .
BEST
PRACTICE:
When someone asks
how business is going,
say "exciting" or "great"
instead of "busy"

7. P R O T I P :
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P e o p l e w a n t t o d o b u s i n e s s w i t h p e o p l e
w h o l o v e w h a t t h e y d o . T h e t o p -
p r o d u c i n g b u s i n e s s p e o p l e p o s s e s s a
l e v e l o f p a s s i o n t h a t e x c e e d s t h e i r
p e e r s e v e n w i t h t h e s a m e s k i l l s , t o o l s ,
a d v a n t a g e s , a n d d i s a d v a n t a g e s . P a s s i o n
m a k e s a l l t h e d i f f e r e n c e !
BEST
PRACTICE:
Make a conscious
decision to be
passionate about what
you have to offer. Talk
about it with excitement
and share what you are
doing.

8. F o r m o s t o f u s , i t ’ s n o t e a s y t o a s k f o r h e l p , a n d t h a t ' s w h a t w e f e e l
w e ' r e d o i n g w h e n w e s e e k r e f e r r a l s . I n t e r e s t i n g l y e n o u g h , w e l o v e
h e l p i n g o t h e r p e o p l e . S o , h o w c a n w e l e a r n t o a s k f o r h e l p w i t h o u t
g e t t i n g t o o u n c o m f o r t a b l e ?
Instead of: “Hey friend, do you know anyone who might be thinking of
buying or selling a home in the next year?”
Try: “Hey friend, I’d be really happy to help anyone you know that
might be buying or selling a home this year. Do you know of anyone?”
#2Be Thoughtful, Ask Often
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Change your words. Don’t ask for help, offer it.
Write something that feels comfortable to you...
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9. By helping people with no expectations of reciprocity, they will help
you in return. This works especially well with other business owners
when you can add value to their business.
Try: “Is there any way I can help you in your business or with something
you’re passionate about?”
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You don’t have to specifically ask for referrals.
Write something that feels comfortable to you...
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10. Ingrain Social Media.com
Write something that feels comfortable to you...
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Play to the ego.
Most people like to feel noticed. Show you're paying attention to
others while offering a compliment. Try something like: "You are so
connected to all the right people and they all trust you. If I gave you
some cards, would you give them out if someone you know could benefit
from my product or service?"

11. Ingrain Social Media.com
Make Referrals Part of Your Brand
Make it your mission to make sure everyone you know and come in
contact with understands that you do business by referral. The steps to
building this into your brand are simple and will pay off big over time.
For example, all of your marketing materials should include a referral
message. Take a look at the examples below:
Referral Taglines:
“A referral from a friend, past client, or colleague is the highest
compliment I can ever receive.”
“I’m never too busy to accept a referral.”
“I love referrals.”
“Because I work by referral, I have more time for my customers.”
“Because my business is built on referrals, please consider me the
next time you talk to someone who needs a ______ professional.”
“Please consider me the next time you know of someone who is _______.”
“I treat every referral with the utmost care.”
“Things I love inthis world: family, friends, fun, and referrals. ”

12. Ingrain Social Media.com
Write some taglines you think would work for your brand
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Where to put a call for referral?
• Business cards • Email signature • Website • Postcards
• Letterhead • Newsletters • License plate frame • Name tag
• Bios on social media networks (and posts, when possible)

13. F i n d a n d c a r e f o r y o u r b e s t r e f e r r a l s o u r c e s . S o m e p e o p l e w i l l n e v e r
r e f e r y o u b e c a u s e i t ' s j u s t n o t h o w t h e y a r e . O n c e y o u k n o w w h o t h e
b e s t r e f e r r e r s a r e , r e a l l y f o c u s o n t a k i n g c a r e o f t h e m .
Next time you’re with a group of friends or family—people you would
expect to refer you, but haven’t—simply ask them how they feel about
giving out referrals in general. This is good dinner conversation, and
you’ll learn a lot about what scares them about referring.
#3Choose Your Referral Sources
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Start a Discussion
Learn who's who
One way to identify the good referrers. Next time you need a product
or service, ask for a referral on a social media site. Try Facebook
where you can ask your friends, family, and clients, who are the target
for referrals. Make sure it is an honest and genuine request.

14. Ingrain Social Media.com
Who can you ask for referrals?
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Think family, friends, past clients, teachers, social media connections,
friends of friends, etc.

15. P R O T I P :
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A u d i t y o u r s p h e r e : F i l t e r t h r o u g h y o u r
c o n t a c t s , i n c l u d i n g y o u r o n l i n e s o c i a l
m e d i a c o n t a c t s . I d e n t i f y i n f l u e n t i a l
i n d i v i d u a l s , w h o s e e m t o k n o w e v e r y o n e ,
a n d r e a c h o u t t o t h e m t o s a y h e l l o o r
a s k t h e m t o g e t c o f f e e . C o n s i d e r t h e s e
p e r s o n a l i t y p r o f i l e s : c h r o n i c p a r t y -
t h r o w e r , P T A P r e s i d e n t , C o u n t r y C l u b
P r e s i d e n t , D i r e c t o r o f t h e H O A , m o s t
p o p u l a r a t y o u r l a s t j o b , m o s t p o p u l a r
a t y o u r s p o u s e ’ s w o r k p l a c e , s u c c e s s f u l
b u s i n e s s p e o p l e , e t c .

16. S o c i a l m e d i a i s a g r e a t t o o l f o r r e f e r r a l b u s i n e s s . N o t o n l y c a n y o u
s h o w c a s e y o u r w o r k , y o u c a n i n t e r a c t w i t h p e o p l e i n t h e i r o w n s p a c e .
H e r e a r e s o m e t i p s f o r s o c i a l m e d i a :
Choose 1-2 platforms and post 3-5x a week on each one.
#4Use Social Media!
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Stay active and be consistent
Ask your fans and followers for referrals
Remind your contacts in a tactful and thoughtful way that you love
getting referrals.
Make your request for referrals front and center
Update your contact information and bio to remind people you love
referrals, and make yourself easily available.
Showcase your reviews
Social proof is a great way to show referrals what you can do for them.
Ask past clients to write reviews on your Facebook page, Yelp, Google
reviews, and any other site you’re listed on that accepts reviews.

17. Ingrain Social Media.com
How will you use social media to ask for referrals?
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18. E s t a b l i s h a s m a l l g r o u p o f p r o f e s s i o n a l c o n t a c t s i n i n d u s t r i e s t h a t t i e
b a c k t o y o u r s . M a k e t h i s i n t e n t i o n a l a n d s c h e d u l e t i m e w e e k l y , b i -
w e e k l y o r m o n t h l y t o s e e t h e m . L e t t h e m k n o w t h a t y o u ’ r e l o o k i n g f o r
r e f e r r a l s a n d t h a t i n t u r n , t h e y c a n e x p e c t y o u t o r e f e r y o u r c l i e n t s
t o t h e m . M a k e s u r e t h e s e p r o f e s s i o n a l s k n o w t h a t t h e y ’ r e t h e o n l y
p e o p l e i n t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e f i e l d s t h a t y o u w i l l r e f e r a n d t h a t y o u ’ l l
a c t i v e l y s e e k o u t n e w b u s i n e s s f o r t h e m . •
#5Network, Network, Network!
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Identify these people or companies
• You need to know these individuals on a personal level by spending
time with them over lunch, coffee, or evening drinks.
• Let them know you are willing to really work hard to refer them.
• Ask them if they would be willing to do the same.
• Get to know their services well so that you’ll have a good
understanding when you’re referring clients.

19. Ingrain Social Media.com
The people or companies I want to network with are:
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20. W h e n y o u r e c e i v e a r e f e r r a l , d o s o m e t h i n g t h o u g h t f u l a n d g e n u i n e
f o r t h e p e r s o n i t c a m e f r o m . T h i s d o e s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y m e a n y o u h a v e
t o s p e n d a l o t o f m o n e y . T r y a h a n d - w r i t t e n t h a n k y o u c a r d , a q u i c k
s t o p b y t h e i r w o r k o r h o m e , f l o w e r s , c a n d y , e t c . I t c a n b e a n y t h i n g a s
l o n g a s y o u p u t t h o u g h t i n t o i t . F o l l o w u p w i t h t h e p e o p l e w h o o f t e n
s e n d y o u r e f e r r a l s . L e t t h e m k n o w h o w t h i n g s a r e g o i n g w i t h t h e
c l i e n t t h e y ’ v e s e n t . I f i t d i d n ’ t w o r k o u t , b e h o n e s t a n d l e t t h e m k n o w
w h y . D o n ’ t l e a v e t h e m w o n d e r i n g w h a t h a p p e n e d .
#6Pay it forward
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Ideas I have to pay it forward include:

21. Remember to take care of your clients
and referral sources, or you'll
quickly top getting them.