New business is the life blood of most, if not all, creative enterprises. Many large firms have new business “bird dogs” who spend their time scouting out prospects and schmoozing the heck out of them in an effort to bring them on board. But, odds are, you don’t have a staff of Armani-clad Account Execs out there touting your wares. You’ve got you and a rack full of hats. One for creative stuff. Another for sales and marketing. And yet others for office manager, courier, chief cook and bottle washer and such.

The trick with juggling these hats is making the most of your available time. With regard to sales, referrals are a peachy solution since they appear to be somewhat passive, at least on the surface. Many folks think referrals just happen – You’re sitting at your desk working, minding your own business, when the phone rings. “Hi, this is Jimmy Bob Deepockets. I’m getting ready to do a brochure and Maryanne Moneybags told me you’re the person for the job.” Bingo! That was easy. But, to insure this little scenario repeats itself on a regular basis, it’s important to have a referral generation plan in place. Here are some tips to help you get your phone ringing and the ‘ole inbox jingling.

Do a good job
Well, that’s sort of a no-brainer. If your work and level of service isn’t up to snuff, clients aren’t going to come back, let alone run to tell their associates about you. Come to think of it, that’s not actually true. Although the research numbers vary, typically a client with tell a hand full of associates about a good experience, but yap it up to 12 or more about a bad one. Seems humans like to complain. Don’t give them the opportunity. Provide stellar service and become a valued resource for your clients.

Ask for referrals
Sounds like another no-brainer, but it’s just not done all too often. If you don’t ask, you usually don’t get. It's important to understand a couple of things about your clients. First, they're not all that interested in providing you with a cushy lifestyle. They're interested in having the immediate problem solved for a reasonable fee. Second, when there's not a hot project going, they tend to forget about you. It's your job to keep your name in front of them.

The best time to ask for a referral is right after completing a successful project. Give your client a call, or better, take them out to lunch. During the conversation, simply ask them if they have any associates who may need what you’re offering. Since you just finished making them look like a star with your remarkable creative savvy, they’ll likely be pretty jazzed to drop a name or two. Don’t forget to ask if you can use their name when you contact the lead. That’s simply polite.

Develop a network
If you’re like most indy creatives, you work with some other folks on various projects. Writers, designers, shooters, printers, etc. Get together with these folks and map out a plan for cross referring. For instance, a writer gets a web gig and their client needs a designer. The writer refers you. As a designer, you get a brochure in and the client needs a writer. Your drop the referral. And so the cycle continues. By being active with cross-referrals, each member of the network develops a group of reps selling their services.

Be a nice person
To encourage more referrals, do something nice for the person who sent you the referral. That can be as simple as a handwritten thank you note. Or, even better, how about popping a restaurant gift certificate or a Starbucks’ gift card in with the note? If you have an American Express account, they offer a variety of gift card options. Even if they haven't sent you a referral, find some ways to shoot off a thank you note or card. It's just not done that much and it can make a big impact.

Get active
Another tactic to help generate referral is community involvement and/or pro bono projects. Find some causes that are close to your heart and get involved. The folks who populate various committees and Boards of Trustees are often well connected movers and shakers in town. This has been a good avenue for me. I've worked with several local nonprofit on various committees and also as a Board member. It helped me meet some folks I wouldn't have otherwise who either became a client or gave me a referral. Plus you get those nice warm, fuzzy feeling by help out others.

A well conceived referral strategy should be one of the big wrenches in your marketing toolbox. When used in concert with other tactics, referrals can quickly grow your business and provide pre-qualified leads to folks who are eager to work with you. And that beats sitting around waiting for the phone to ring any day of the week.