Networking for Entrepreneurs: The Power of Referrals

Referrals are the gold standard of business growth, but asking for them directly can sometimes feel awkward. The good news? If you nurture your LinkedIn network the right way, referrals will come naturally – without you having to ask. Here’s how to make it happen: 1️⃣ Be top of mind through consistent content People refer professionals they remember. If you only show up on LinkedIn when you need something, you’re missing opportunities. Post valuable insights, client success stories, and behind-the-scenes looks at your work to stay visible and credible. 💡 Example: Share a post about how you helped a client overcome a challenge. This subtly signals what you do – so when someone in your network knows someone who needs your help, they think of you. 2️⃣ Engage with your network authentically Your best referrals won’t just come from clients – they’ll come from peers, former colleagues, and industry connections. But for that to happen, you need to engage, comment, and support their content too. 📌 Try this: Spend 10 minutes daily interacting with posts from people in your industry. Meaningful engagement strengthens relationships, making people more likely to think of you when a referral opportunity comes up. 3️⃣ Showcase your expertise in your profile Your LinkedIn profile should do the heavy lifting for you. A clear, optimized headline and “About” section should communicate who you help and how. ✅ Example: Instead of: “Founder at XYZ Consulting”, try: "I help small business owners streamline operations and increase revenue with customized growth strategies.” A well-crafted profile makes it easy for people to refer you because they instantly understand what you do. 4️⃣ Make giving referrals a habit Want to receive more referrals? Start giving them. When you introduce people in your network, they’ll naturally think of you when the time comes. 💡 Pro tip: If you see two people in your network who could benefit from knowing each other, introduce them in a quick message. Your generosity will often come back to you in unexpected ways. 5️⃣ Subtly signal that you’re open to referrals You don’t have to ask for referrals outright, but you can plant the idea. Mention client success stories in posts, thank people for referrals publicly, or share a case study that shows the kind of work you do. 📌 Example Post: "I’m incredibly grateful for a recent referral from my network that led to a fantastic collaboration. It’s amazing how connections on LinkedIn turn into real opportunities!" This reminds your audience that referrals happen – and that you welcome them. Your next big opportunity might already be in your network. By staying visible, engaging genuinely, and positioning yourself as the go-to expert, referrals will start coming your way – without you having to ask. #SocialSelling #LinkedInNetworking #Referrals #PersonalBranding

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?

In Q4 we closed ~45% of opportunities that started from referrals/intros. Here are my key insights: 1. Referrals are the best Leads that come through referrals and intros are the best type of leads. Leads generated from referrals are known to have a conversion rate 30% higher than those from other marketing avenues. The inherent trust associated with referrals makes overcoming initial barriers much smoother. 2. Systemize intros I made it a priority to ask for intros and created a system. We have systems for outbound and inbound, why not for intros as well? We created a spreadsheet with all our teams peers/friends/customers/investors and actively search their networks and ask for introductions. Most people are willing to help. I then track the success of each intro to gain insights (intro-to-reply rate, intro-to-meeting rate, and intro-to-customer rate). TIP: Block out 1 hour a week to seek intros. 3. Systemize customer referrals Referrals from customers can be a gold mine. They create the most amount of trust. Unfortunately, many companies lack processes to encourage customer referrals. For this reason, we use Deeto - customers can easily submit leads and receive rewards and we create campaigns around it. 4. SDRs and AE should tap into warm intros Outbound is getting harder. Creating trust with prospects is harder. Knowing how to find mutual connections with your prospect will increase the likelihood of getting a reply and will open the door to communication in a more favorable context. I believe that in 2024 top SDRs and AEs will start realizing this and will leverage their networks and colleagues' networks for warm intros. Referrals and intros are underrated. Companies and individuals that start capitalizing on warm intros will see huge success in 2024. Do you agree? #sales

Monday Momentum: Strategy #17 for a Successful Exit – Growing Through Referrals and Networking. Referrals and networking are among the most powerful ways to grow your business. They bring in trusted leads, strengthen your reputation, and demonstrate a strong growth trajectory—key factors that enhance your business’s value. Here’s how to tap into this goldmine: Tip 35: Ask for Client Referrals Don’t wait—ask for referrals early in the client relationship. Satisfied clients are often willing to introduce you to others in their network. Encourage your team to identify and pursue potential referral opportunities during engagements. Tip 36: Build a Third-Party Referral Network Collaborate with other service providers who work with similar clients. By creating a third-party referral network, you can cross-sell services and expand your reach while providing more value to your shared clients. Example: A consulting firm established partnerships with accountants and legal advisors who served the same target audience. This referral network became a steady source of new leads. At the same time, the firm trained its account managers to actively seek referrals from satisfied clients. These efforts contributed to consistent growth, making the business highly attractive to buyers. The takeaway: Referrals and networking aren’t just growth strategies—they’re value multipliers that show buyers your business is trusted and well-connected. Ready to leverage the power of connections for exponential growth? #MondayMomentum #ExitStrategy #Referrals #Networking #BusinessGrowth #Club33 #Leadership #Entrepreneurship

5 types of networking that actually lead to revenue → Most professionals are networking wrong → They show up to events hoping to get lucky → Instead of building a referral engine on purpose If you want networking to work, you need to know what kind works best Here are 5 types of networking that drive results in B2B: --- 1. Strategic Referral Networking → Build intentional relationships with partners who serve the same audience → Focus on long-term collaboration, not short-term leads → This is where 80% of your warm introductions will come from Example: A fractional CFO partnering with a B2B accountant to trade referrals --- 2. Cold Outreach for Warm Partners → Stop only networking with people you already know → Reach out to new professionals in aligned industries → Treat cold messages like relationship starters, not sales pitches Example: DMing an MSP on LinkedIn to explore collaboration --- 3. Thought Leadership Networking → Post content that attracts your ideal referral partners → Share stories, wins, and insights from your client work → Build trust before you ever book a meeting Example: Sharing a story about how you helped a client grow revenue after a key referral --- 4. Hosting Curated Happy Hour → Be the connector, not just the attendee → Create a space where your referral partners can meet each other → When you become the hub, everyone remembers you Example: Hosting a monthly Happy Hour for consultants and service providers in one niche --- 5. Value-First Follow-Up → Don’t ask for referrals too soon → Stay top of mind by giving value consistently → Introduce them to someone they want to meet first Example: Sending a referral partner a lead before ever asking for one back --- The best networking: → Creates leverage → Builds long-term trust → Moves you from forgotten to top of mind Want to see what this looks like in action? Visit one of our B2B networking groups We built them around this playbook Drop a comment or message me and I’ll send you the details