Do you know where your must fruitful source of new business is? Referrals! A referral is the easiest, least labor-intensive way to grow your business. Many business owners focus their efforts on direct contact rather than asking existing clients to refer them to others. Are you sitting back, waiting patiently for your current clients and contacts to forward referrals? Stop! Be proactive. Here’s how to get referrals:

• Ask! Call your current satisfied clients who know the benefits of using your service and ask them for a referral.
• Give! Givers gain. Refer to a colleague and hopefully they will pay it forward in a referral for you.
• Incentivize!  Offer a referral “bonus” to those who refer prospects who become clients.

Like many businesses 80% of our clients are referred to us for our virtual accounting services, so it makes little sense to spend time doing outbound marketing to attract the 20%. Why not work on building referrals instead?!

What’s your best “ice-breaker” to lead you up to asking a client for a referral?