When you are in charge of the a web design or graphic design business, one of your most powerful advertising tools is the referral.  When people like your work enough to recommend it, you’ll find that there are a number of different advantages that you can simply not find any other way. Even though that is the case, many professionals who work the field neglect to ask their pleased customers for a referral.

If you see that your customer is pleased with your work, make sure that you ask them to refer you on to their friends and their colleagues. When your clients do this, your name has the benefit of coming from someone who is trusted.  A personal referral goes significantly further than a testimonial from a person that they don’t know or an advertisement that they happen to stumble across.  In addition to this benefit, you’ll see that there is also the advantage of association.  Even if the people who are referred to you don’t take you up on your services right away, they will associate your name with someone that they like or respect.

Too many people asking for referrals are afraid of begging for attention or business.  The truth is, it should not be the caset!  All you are asking your clients is to do to give someone an honest review of your service.  You are not asking them to lie for you, and you are not asking them to go out of their way.  You are giving them a chance to help their friends find a service that has treated them well.  Don’t be too shy or too embarrassed to ask them to refer you to their friends; this is an important way to network and to make sure that you are in a situation where you can reap the rewards of good work.

If you are nervous about asking for referrals, you’ll find that there a few tips to keep in mind.  First, don’t ask for a referral until the client is happy.  This can happen when you are closing with them, or when you are finishing off the project.  Similarly, remember to let them know how important a referral can be to your business; you are essentially letting them know how important they and their good opinion are to you.  Finally, remember that referrals can come from all sorts of places.  Be kind and understanding to the people who work with you and the people who are in related businesses; remember that you never know when a referral might make all the difference.

When you are interested in growing your web design or graphic design business, make sure that you don’t underestimate what a good referral can do for you!

More about client referrals:

Getting Referral Business – A Proven System

Your customer has gotten their result and their mind is on to the next thing – you are automatically forgotten. Referral System Example Here is an example of a possible discussion that you might have with a potential client / customer, …

Saying ‘No’ to a Referrals that Don’t Fit

Keep this issue client-centered. First, if the prospect is a very close family member of the referring client, then help them out. It builds your relationship with your client. After that, you are not the right advisor. …

Posted: Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Categories: self-employment
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