Creating A Referral Program In Your Consulting Business

Everyone wants referrals, but most agencies have referral programs that are as limp as a wet noodle. Here’s the thing: referrals are the lifeblood of many successful agencies, yet so many get them wrong. They think throwing a little cash at a client for bringing in new business is enough. But the truth is, a half-baked referral program won’t get you far. You need a referral structure that’s as solid as your service delivery. Here's how 👇 Step 1: Define Your Ideal Referrals First off, you need to know exactly who you want to be referred to you. Not all referrals are created equal. Start by defining your Ideal Client Profile (ICP). This ensures that your referral program doesn’t just bring in any leads but the right leads. Step 2: Create Clear Criteria and Rewards Your referral structure needs to be crystal clear—no guessing games. Outline exactly what qualifies as a successful referral and what the reward will be. And don’t just think in terms of cash. Sometimes, offering exclusive access to services or early access to new products can be more enticing. ➝ Example: “Refer a client who fits our ICP and get 15% off your next service or $500 cash. If they sign up for a retainer, we’ll double it.” Step 3: Make It Easy to Refer The harder it is to refer someone to you, the fewer referrals you’ll get. Simplify the process. This could be as simple as a dedicated landing page, a referral form, or even just a direct line for your clients to introduce you. Step 4: Educate Your Clients Your clients might not know how to sell your services as well as you do. Give them the tools they need—think scripts, case studies, or even a short video explaining how your agency helps. The easier you make it for them to talk about you, the more likely they’ll refer you. Things to consider: ➝Provide a referral guide with talking points. ➝Share success stories that highlight the value you bring. ➝Offer a quick 5-minute call to brief clients on how to make referrals. Step 5: Recognize and Reward Publicly Don’t just hand out rewards in the dark. Shine a light on those who refer business to you. Whether it’s a shoutout on social media, a mention in your newsletter, or a special “Referral Champion” status, public recognition can be a powerful motivator. A strong referral structure isn’t a one-and-done deal—it’s an ongoing system. Regularly revisit your referral program, tweak what’s not working, and double down on what is. Remember, the goal is to build a self-sustaining loop that keeps high-quality clients flowing into your agency.

28% of my 7-8 figure clients say this is the best referral-getting strategy.   In 2020 I ran a referral program for 89 advisors at Britain’s largest wealth management firm. After 6 months there was: *An 80% increase in asks *Over 1100 new clients *Over $140m in new assets. When we surveyed the group afterwards, 25 of the 89 said that the most helpful referral habit from the program was using a prompt on meeting agendas. We all need a reliable reminder to ask. This made it easy to remember and commit to. My client John told me: “What’s helped me get more introductions is using an agenda.   It gives me more permission to ask, and it helps me do it more consistently.” It also gives you psychological air to ask. No one feels blindsided. There are three options for what to write on your agenda: 1. “Feedback” - Ask for open-ended feedback:  “I'm curious: what have you found most helpful about the work that we've done so far?” If you hear good things, you have a green light to ask for what you want. When you ask is up to you - the timing has to feel authentic. “Thanks for that feedback. You know I was thinking. Earlier on you mentioned (specific name). I love helping companies like that. Who’s your best contact there that you would you be most comfortable introducing me to?” 2. “Others I can help?” Or: “Best way I can potentially help others?” (Avoid the word referrals or introductions – you risk coming across as salesy.) Asking about other people your client cares about is going to resonate with them infinitely more than saying: “I grow my business by referrals. Who can introduce me to?” Note: “Others I can help?” is not specific enough of an ask but: a)        It gets the referral conversation started b)       It gives people advance notice that you want to talk about referrals Then you steer the conversation to… 3.  Specific names   - Of people, companies, opportunities etc Ideally, write down a SPECIFIC name and put this on your agenda. e.g., you might word it: “Would you be comfortable introducing me to your business partners Katy and Salik?” What matters is: Who does this person know and like who: a) Sounds like a good prospect? b) Can open a door to a big opportunity? How can you reference this appropriately in your agenda – from a helping perspective? It’s okay to literally think out loud on paper about an ask you would like to make. It doesn't have to be succinct and polished, e.g., “Curious whether you think I could potentially be helpful to your best clients?” or “Would love your thoughts on the best ways I could help other founders in your mastermind?” Apply those examples to any small group of people: Board members, EO members, or teammates. Tip! Email your agenda 2-5 days in advance. About 20% of the time that other person will bring up your ask before you do. Want the best actionable referral strategies?? Subscribe to Fearless Referrals Insider in the Featured Section of my bio.

In a tech landscape where everyone’s got “great tech” (or so they say 🤷♂️), the real decision-makers aren’t just browsing your website—they’re asking their network. Who’s delivering? Who’s fluffing? Who’s worth their time? Spoiler alert: If you’re not top-of-mind in those conversations, you’re already behind. 👥 The Go-To-Network Strategy Your Go-To-Market plan gets you to the table. Your Go-To-Network keeps you in the room. But how do you scale your network’s influence? Referrals. And no, we’re not talking about throwing gift cards around like it’s Black Friday. Here’s how 🏄♂️ Scott Leese breaking it down for your team: 🛠 Steps to Build a Killer Referral Program 1️⃣ Make Referrals Easy: Nobody’s sharing your product if it feels like homework. Create quick-share links, one-pagers, or scripts your network can use effortlessly. 2️⃣ Reward the Right Way: Incentivize meaningfully. Think VIP access, exclusive benefits, or tangible business value over generic “thank yous.” 3️⃣ Train Your Advocates: Your champions need the right talking points. Host mini-trainings or share elevator pitches that turn them into storytelling machines. 4️⃣ Spotlight Success: Celebrate referral wins publicly (and often). People love to be associated with success stories—they’ll share your name if it’s attached to winning. 5️⃣ Measure & Optimize: Track who’s referring, what’s resonating, and what’s flopping. Referrals aren’t a one-and-done effort. Iteration is your best friend.

Referrals might be the most underused growth lever in B2B! Everyone talks about them. Few actually operationalize them. At Sendspark, we’ve made referrals a core part of our GTM motion—and it’s driving real revenue. Here are 3 ways we’re turning referrals into pipeline (and closed deals): 1. Offer Free Access in Exchange for an intro We don’t have a free plan. So when an SDR signs up and drops off before payment, we don’t just lose the lead. Instead, we offer them a free Sendspark seat—if they are open to making an exec level intro. It’s a win-win: They get value. We get a high-leverage referral. This simple play helped us close two enterprise deals last quarter. 2. Operationalize Referrals with Tech Referrals don’t have to be manual, there are plenty of tools out there that can help you automate the referral process. Here’s what we use internally. FirstPromoter– An easy affiliate tool where our fans get a link to share Sendspark and earn $ when someone signs up. Product- Embedded Referral Links – We let users include referral links in the videos they send. When someone loves the video and signs up → the sender gets paid. Commsor 🦕 – Shows us overlaps between customers, investors, and influencers. Perfect for uncovering warm intro paths we wouldn’t have seen otherwise. 3. Just Ask If you’re a CSM doing a QBR... Or an AE who just closed a deal... Ask: “Is there anyone else in your network who could use something like this?” Worst case? They say no. Best case? Warm, qualified lead! Creating a scalable referral motion is something that add incredible growth to your business! If you don't currently have a referral program in place, why not? #saas #sales #growth