I will tell anyone that I love Gaby Zapien’s design work. I would have refered her without hesitation to any client. However, she’s swamped with work and focusing more on her art nowadays. So I’m looking to build relationships with other web designers I can refer to in a pinch.
Lo and behold, when I stopped by a client’s office, his graphic designer was there. I asked him if he had a card or if he’d be interested in getting in touch so I could see about referring some clients.
His response: “Uh, I’m kinda busy with this thing right now. I’ve got a lot going on. I don’t do a lot of local work. Well, I’d like to do more. So maybe after I’m done with this.”
My gosh, if someone wanted to get to know you so they could send you more work, you’d be happy, right?
Referral work represents some of the best opportunities because a) the client already trusts you since you were referred by someone else they trust, and b) it’s free marketing.
I am very proud of the people I’ve built relationships with over the years. Just this week, I was able to refer an inquiring lead to two specialized copywriters: one who excels with real estate and another who does kickass writing for legal websites.
Referrals are all part of the “give to get” mentality, I suppose. I can’t say I’ve directly received more business by referring clients, but my professional reputation has certainly benefitted. And I’ve been able to help clients when I’m not the right person for the job. I figure that’s part of my responsibility as a copywriter who takes her work very seriously.
Are referrals a big part of your online business?
