1. Identify your top 10 clients.
2. Contact them and request an introduction to their key advisors. Focus on non-competitors who are likely to have multiple clients with a need for your services. If any of your clients ask “why,” tell them that you want to get to know the various outsourced professionals who service their needs (so you can understand more of the facets of their business) and that other advisors can often lead to synergistic referral relationships.
3. Follow up with their advisors by using this language: “We already share one client. Let’s get acquainted and explore whether there are others we can refer to one another.”
Assuming you get along with them, you should be able to develop a productive referral partnership pretty quickly. After all, you come recommended from one of their existing clients. It’s hard to find a better endorsement than that. You will find that a trusted advisor who comes to you through this avenue is generally easier to develop into a productive, reciprocal referral source than someone you meet in a networking meeting or conference.
Oh, and next year around this time, when you’re celebrating your mutual success, don’t forget to wish them a Happy Share a Client Day.
Authored by David Ackert
