It’s common knowledge that referrals are an effective way for freelancers to get new business. After all, it’s easier to sell your services to a potential client if they know someone who is already satisfied with your work. Clients who come to us via referrals tend to be easier to close than those we approach through cold emails and job applications. In fact, in Ed Gandia’s 2012 Freelance Industry Report, freelancers reported that referrals and word of mouth were freelancers’ most effective methods for finding and new clients.
Do you just ask directly? The idea of doing that can be daunting to most freelancers, especially those who are too shy or who consider themselves introverted.
Rather than attempt to muster up the courage to ask, it’s best to build a system around it. With a system, you can get referrals with or even without self-confidence. Here are 2 simple ways you can do that:
The “Magic Referral Question”
After working with a new client for a week or two, I send them a feedback form. This tells me if there’s something that needs improvement in my service and, if they’re happy, their answers become the basis for a future testimonial.
Here are some of the questions I ask:
- What do you like the most about my services?
- What do you like the least about my services?
- What concrete outcomes have I helped you achieve so far?
More importantly, however, I also use this form to get referral opportunities because I ask this question, which I call the “Magic Referral Question”:
“How likely are you to recommend my services to someone else who might need them?”
The options they have to choose from are Extremely Likely, Likely, Not Likely. When the client answers “Likely” or “Extremely Likely,” I send them the following template email:
Hi [Client’s Name],
First of all, I’d like to thank you for your awesome feedback. You mentioned that you liked that my services were [Include Positive Feedback Here] and that I helped you achieve [Include Concrete Outcomes Here].
With that said, you also mentioned that you were extremely likely to refer my services to other people who might need them. Who do you know who might be interested in achieving the same results you’re getting?
Best,
[Your Name]
The Shareable Free Report
A less direct way to get a referral is to provide a shareable report to your satisfied clients. Think of it as a combination of a free ebook and case study. It contains a general overview of why businesses might need your services, as well as some numbers or results you’ve helped previous clients obtain.
This free report should accomplish the following things:
a) Provide value
It should be informative and engaging, not a sales pitch. For example, here are some topic ideas you can use:
- How to Really Use Your Blog to Generate Leads
- 7 Ways Your Website Copy is Turning Off Potential Customers
- These 3 Simple Changes in Your Website Text Can Improve Your Sales
b) Demonstrate the results you get
If you can quote testimonials, numbers, and other concrete results from previous work, write it into your free report. Use commonly found statistics from places like HubSpot, Econsultancy, and other reliable sources to support the points you make.
c) Sell your services well
The last page of the report should include testimonials, and at the very end is a call-to-action for the reader to contact you.
d) Get shared
When you send your free report to your client, be very direct about encouraging them to share your report. Here’s what you can say via email:
Hi [Client’s Name],
First of all, I’d like to thank you for your awesome feedback. You mentioned that you liked that my services were [Include Positive Feedback Here] and that I helped you achieve [Include Concrete Outcomes Here].
You also mentioned that you’re very likely to recommend me to another business owner that might need my services. If you know any business owner who wants to get the same results you’re getting, all I ask is that you please forward this email and PDF report to just ONE person today to help them get started.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
Why These Methods Work
By using any of the above two methods, you’re working around several barriers that make it hard for introverts to ask clients for referrals. Here’s why they work:
a) You already know that the client is willing to recommend you in the first place
If the client answers “Extremely Likely” to your Referral question, you’ll already know that they’re actually open to referring you. No need to second guess how they’ll feel about it.
b) You use templates to get rid of the fear of asking
The scariest thing about asking clients for anything—whether it’s feedback, a testimonial, or a referral—is that you don’t exactly know what to say. When you use templates, you don’t have to start with a scary blank page. Just fill in the details and you can send your referral request email in seconds. There wouldn’t be any opportunities for the fear to kick in.
While some people find it easy to “just ask,” introverted freelancers don’t have to settle for silence and shyness. If you can use simple systems like these to verify that a client is happy to recommend you, as well as get rid of the fear of asking, you’ll soon be harvesting referrals like a pro.
About the author:
Celine Roque is a freelance copywriter who helps businesses get more sales and leads online. You can visit her website at CelineRoque.com.
