Getting More from Your Referrals

Virtual Campfire – Just the Gist!

By Raissa Evans

Referrals drive a significant amount of new revenue in CPA firms, and they were the topic of discussion on AAM’s latest Virtual Campfire. Attendees talked about their importance to the firm’s sales pipelines, how these relationships are built and managed, and how we can improve on these relationships.

The following are the top three takeaways from the discussion:

• Be proactive. Many marketers and business developers have found that their firms are becoming more complacent or disorganized about referrals—and that didn’t jive with how important they are to the firm! Having a simple system to track where referrals are coming from, remembering to close loops, and training your internal people on how to ask and communicate with referral sources makes a huge difference. Also, the habit of reciprocating referrals to your best referrers creates its own momentum.
• Make a good quality introduction. When making an introduction, always include information about how you know both the parties and/or an endorsement of your positive experience with them. Be sure to mention why you’re making the introduction and share a link to their LinkedIn profiles, too. You could even take it one step further and list out (like an agenda) the topics you think the parties should discuss. It’s an incredibly warm way to receive an introduction and fast tracks the direction of the conversation and relationship.
• Be direct with referral sources. Many firms have started to create a one sheet resource to give to referral partners that lists information like services provided, any client selection criteria, and specializations like industry. Others have provided an email template after requesting who they’d like to be introduced to in order to make the introduction as frictionless as possible. When a referral source has you in mind but is making low-value or mismatched referrals, take the time to communicate with them.

Don’t leave your referrals to chance. Make sure your firm teats them with the importance they deserve and do your part to help ensure they continue.

Are you an AAM member? Mark your calendars and register for next month’s Virtual Campfire. It will take place on July 18 at 1pm CST/2pm EST, and the topic for discussion will be earned media.