How to Generate Raving Referrals

90.99% of all my freelance work has come from referrals. Ok so that's not an exact figure, but it's close. I've landed one client from a cold email and another through Upwork. The rest: All high-quality referrals. Since many of you asked, I'll tell you how. Here are three things I consistently do to get referral business: 1. Give referrals. I stopped trying to be everything for everyone a while ago. I realized that if I do my best work and tap other people to do something I don't specialize in, it's a win for everyone. If we've worked together on a project or developed a relationship (and I know that you do good work), then you're on my list. I'm constantly giving referrals and pointing leads in the direction of folks who I know can get the job done well. More importantly: they're lovely to work with. This creates goodwill. It also keeps me top of mind with my referral network. When a job that matches my skillset comes across their world, who they gonna call? Not ghostbusters. 2. Maintain a system for building relationships. This "system" for me is nothing more than an AirTable spreadsheet, where I list my contact's name, what they specialize in, their ideal clients, and notes from our most recent conversation that'll help me deepen the relationship. That last column is the most important. During all of my relationship-building calls (a.k.a. networking), I take note of things that are top of mind for the person I'm speaking with. Maybe they just had a baby. Maybe they bought a house. Maybe they're about to launch a new product or service. Then, I put a date on the spreadsheet for when I want to reach back out and check in with how it's all going. I genuinely care, and having a check-in system ensures I'm following through on building the relationship over time. 3. Create strategic relationships. Beyond the relationships I naturally build with people I work on projects with or friends of friends in my network, I'm strategic about whom I spend my time talking to. By that, I mean connecting with people who provide adjacent services. For me, that means people who do PR, design work, paid ads, email marketing, social media management, etc. These are all folks who provide complimentary services to my content strategy work. We don't compete—we compliment. That's a beautiful referral ecosystem right there. There's more to this, but these things will get you started if you're not already strategically using your network to get ideal clients and projects. Was this helpful or should I go deeper here?

The people I know who get the best referrals aren’t networkers… It’s not their system that spins referral flywheel: ✗ Checklists ✗ Follow up templates ✗ Autogenerated requests It’s their ability to think and act like a party host. If you know how to pack out a party - so that even people you just met will go to your “party” over anyone else’s— Then you can build a 100% referral-based business. Here’s the “Party Host Approach” to generating referrals: 1. MASTOR YOUR RELATIONSHIP MEMORY Stop relying on your CRM to remember personal details. When you genuinely care about people's situations and remember without notes, it deepens your connection to them. The guy who remembers your kid's soccer tournament 3 weeks later = the one who gets your referral. 2. BUILD SKILL + RESULTS Five years ago I probably had 70% of the skill set I have now. The big difference is - now I can back up my skills with results. Those results accelerate the path to being known. Skills alone aren't enough. Skills + proven results = credibility that spreads. 3. DEVELOP NATURAL INFLUENCE At an event, I think to myself, “In the next 30 minutes, I'm going to have a group of over 30 people at this table and I'm going to use those two people over there to do it.” It's not like I sit there all night coordinating it - I find something I want to talk about and follow my instincts. One time I asked a museum curator, "How do you know if you're doing a good job?" and a crowd gathered around to listen to her answer. I ended up with two lucrative dinner invitations. Genuine curiosity + strategic thinking = natural influence. 4. CREATE THE REFERRAL MULTIPLICATION EFFECT When you create real connections out in the world you end up getting more referrals than you give out. The depth of the relationships you’ve built compound on their own. This is how I've grown Arcbound entirely through referrals. No website. No cold outreach. Quality connections + proven results = referrals that multiply exponentially. __________ The party host doesn't network outwardly — they attract naturally. That's how you build a life where you NEVER have to chase down clients. Instead, they come chasing after you.

Your best clients know your next best clients. But you're probably too scared to ask for the introduction. Here's why most service providers leave millions on the table: They deliver amazing results, collect their payment, and never leverage the relationship for growth. Big mistake. I used to be guilty of this too. Delivered incredible results for a client, got paid our fee, and thought my job was done. Then I realized something game-changing: satisfied clients are your most powerful sales force. They just need structure and incentives to activate. Here's the system I wish I'd implemented years earlier: Phase 1: Plant the seed during onboarding Tell every new client: "We grow primarily through referrals from partners like you. When you're thrilled with our results, we'd love an introduction to other companies who could benefit." Set the expectation early. No surprises later. Phase 2: Deliver exceptional results (obviously) This system only works if you're genuinely great at what you do. If your service delivery is mediocre, fix that first. Phase 3: Make the ask strategically Best timing? Right after a major win or positive feedback. Strike while the iron is hot. Say this: "You mentioned being thrilled with our results. Do you know other [specific role] at [specific company type] who might benefit from similar outcomes?" Phase 4: Sweeten the deal Offer a finder's fee or reciprocal benefit. Make it worth their while. The numbers don't lie: Referred clients have 3x higher lifetime value, 25% lower churn rate, and 50% faster close times compared to cold prospects. Yet 87% of businesses never ask for referrals systematically. Here's what kills me though: You've already done the hard work. You've delivered results. Built trust. Proven value. The hardest part is behind you. But you're leaving the easiest part undone. Your client already wants to help you succeed. They just need to be asked in the right way at the right time. Stop being modest. Start being strategic. Your business growth depends on it. Who's the last client that raved about your work? When will you ask them for a referral? Let me know 👇