How do you get more referrals without constantly asking people for them?

0:01Hello, this is Mark Satterfield and welcome to the Velvet Rope Playbook. Tonight's chapter, how to get more referrals without asking for them. Claire Beaumont had a referral problem that didn't really make any sense. Claire was 46 and ran a small art advisory firm in Boston. She helped wealthy families build collections, find pieces privately, evaluate potential purchases, and occasionally stop themselves from spending a ridiculous amount of money on something that they would regret six months later. She hadn't really planned on becoming an art advisor. Claire grew up outside of Providence, Rhode Island, where her father repaired commercial fishing boats and her mother taught fourth grade.

0:43Her introduction to the art world came almost accidentally when she took an art history course in college because it fit conveniently between economics and French. She became obsessed. After graduate school, Claire spent eight years working for auction houses in New York and other six years running acquisitions for a private collection. Eventually, one of the collectors she knew asked if Claire could help him build his own collection. Then his brother hired her. Then one of his business partners. Fifteen years later, Claire had built an extremely successful boutique practice almost entirely through referrals.

1:19There was just one problem. She wasn't getting enough of them. Claire's clients loved her. They trusted her judgment. They invited her into their homes. they called her before auctions, a few had become close friends. So Claire couldn't understand why they weren't introducing her to more people. She finally asked one of her longtime clients, Martin Holloway, what he thought. Martin was 61 and had made his money in specialty packaging. He'd started with a single factory outside of Worcester and eventually sold the company to a European conglomerate. He was also an obsessive collector of contemporary photography.

1:56Claire told Martin she was thinking about becoming more deliberate about asking clients for referrals. Martin looked uncomfortable. You're going to start asking me who I know? Claire laughed. Not quite like that. But Martin's reaction told her something. She didn't want every conversation with the client to end with, By the way, if you know anyone who might benefit from what I do, I'd appreciate an introduction. Now, there isn't anything inherently wrong with asking for referrals. But do it often enough and it can start feeling like every client has somehow required a second job. Salesperson for you.

2:33So Claire tried something different. A few weeks later, Claire sent several clients a short email with the subject line, A Mistake I'm Seeing New Collectors Make. She explained that she'd recently seen several people buy artwork primarily because they believed it was going to appreciate. Claire made a simple point. If you wouldn't be happy owning the piece for the next 10 years, even if its value never increased, you should probably think very carefully before buying it. She included three questions she thought collectors should ask before making a significant purchase. That was it. No pitch, no requests for introductions, no mention of needing more clients.

3:14Martin read it, then he forgot about it. Until about three weeks later. Martin was having dinner with Richard and Elino Navarro, a couple he'd known for years. Richard was a retired orthopedic device entrepreneur. Elena had spent most of her career producing documentary films and had recently become interested in collecting emerging Latin American artists. During dinner, Elena mentioned a painting they'd seen in Miami. The asking price was$80 ,000. They loved it. But the gallery had also been talking extensively about what a great investment it could become. Martin immediately remembered Claire's email.

3:52He said, before you buy it, you need to talk to Claire Beaumont. Notice what didn't happen. Claire didn't ask Martin for a referral. Martin didn't sit down one morning and think, I really should send Claire some business. Something happened that triggered his memory of Claire. More importantly, it triggered his memory of what Claire was particularly good at. Richard and Elena called her. They eventually became clients. And that's how referrals actually happen. I think we frequently misunderstand referrals. We imagine our clients walking around with our business cards in their pockets, constantly searching for people to send us.

4:31They aren't. They're living their lives. They're running businesses, going to dinner, playing golf, attending meetings, traveling and talking with friends. Then someone mentions a problem. And in that moment, one of two things happens. Your client thinks of you or they don't. That's why one of the best ways to generate more referrals isn't simply reminding clients that you'd like referrals. It's reminding them what you're particularly good at solving. Because referrals need triggers. So here's something practical I'd encourage you to do. Think about the conversations your ideal clients are having before they realize they need you.

5:09What are they complaining about? What are they worried about? What decisions are they struggling with? What questions keep coming up? Now pick one. That's your referral trigger. Claire's wasn't, do you know someone who needs an art advisor? It was, I'm thinking about spending a lot of money on a piece of art, and I'm not sure whether I'm making a smart decision. That's a conversation Martin could recognize. And when he heard it, he knew exactly who should be involved. This is where content becomes particularly valuable. Suppose once or twice a month you send clients a short email about a specific problem you solve, not a newsletter filled with company news, one useful idea.

5:53You might say, I've been seeing this come up quite a bit lately, so I thought you might find it useful. Then teach them something. You can do the same thing with a short video, podcast episode, article, or even a personal note. You're accomplishing two things. You're continuing to provide value to someone who's already a client, but you're also quietly strengthening the association between your name and a particular problem, and that's what you want. When that problem eventually appears in someone else's conversation, your name has a much better chance of appearing with it. Claire actually discovered something else.

6:32Her clients started forwarding her emails. That meant the content itself began creating introductions. One client forwarded Claire's note about buying art as an investment to his brother. Another sent one of her articles to a friend who inherited a collection and had no idea what to do with it. Someone else forwarded a short video Claire made about what to consider before selling a significant piece at auction. Claire wasn't asking those people to promote her. She was giving them something worth passing along, and that's a very different referral strategy. So try this over the next 30 days. Identify three problems you want people to associate with your name.

7:15Then create one short, genuinely useful piece of content around each. Send them to your clients, former clients, and other people who already know and trust you. Don't end everyone with, please send me anyone you know, or words to that effect. Let the usefulness of the idea do some of the work. Your objective is to create a mental connection. When this particular problem comes up, I think of you, because your clients probably know plenty of people who could potentially hire you. The problem is that they're not sitting around thinking about your business. You need to give them reasons to remember you at exactly the right moments.

7:55That's ultimately what Claire learned. She didn't need Martin constantly thinking, who can I refer to Claire? She needed him sitting at dinner when someone mentioned spending$80 ,000 on a painting and immediately thinking, you need to talk to Claire. That's the kind of referral you want. Not I know someone, but I know exactly who you should talk to. And if you'd like more strategies for attracting affluent clients, generating better referrals, and positioning yourself as the person people naturally recommend, visit GetWealthyClients.com. When you're there, you'll find information about all my books, my programs, resources, and the different ways you can work with me personally.

8:37That's GetWealthyClients.com. And before you go, make sure you subscribe to the Velvet Rope Playbook so that you don't miss the next episode. And if you know someone who would find this episode useful, hey, pass it along to them. Who knows? That may be the referral trigger that gets them thinking about you. This is Mark Satterfield. Thanks for listening to this chapter of the Velvet Rope Playbook. I'll be back at you soon with something new. But until then, bye for now.