How to Find Introducers & Referral Partners

The trouble with one-off projects is that you constantly have to find new clients. You get a client, do the work, then you need to get another client.

And that's fine if you enjoy sales and marketing (and you're good at it). But most freelancers would rather not spend half their time prospecting for work. They would prefer a consistent flow of clients without having to go out and find them.

Having a couple of introducers or referral partners can help you get more consistency.

When I offered done-for-you copywriting services, at least half of my new business came from web designers or marketing agencies. Some of them would simply recommend me, and it would be up to me to speak to the client and win the business. Others would send me a brief and then add my quote to theirs before sending it to the client.

Not all my work came to me this way, but having these sources of work really helped keep things consistent.

And this can work for lots of freelancers. If you find good introducers or partners, you can get a bit more consistency in your pipeline.

Look for the right people

You may already have people in your network who could be good referral partners or who have already referred work to you in the past. If not, do a bit of research and make a shortlist of companies you would like to partner with. You might want to start local to begin with.

People or companies who offer complementary services

As I mentioned above, I got quite a lot of copywriting work from web designers because my services complemented theirs. After all, a website needs copy. I also partnered with marketing agencies and graphic designers because their clients often needed copywriting services.

So look for businesses that offer services that complement yours. For example, if you sell home insurance, you might want to connect with mortgage brokers. If you're an accountant, look for estate planners, IFAs or business coaches. If you're a decorator, make friends with plasterers.

People or companies who offer similar services

When I offered copywriting services, I quite often got asked about writing bids or tenders. This was not my area of expertise (and not something I particularly wanted to do), so I would refer these clients to someone who specialised in that field.

Find people who offer similar services to you, but specialise in a specific sector or area. They might get enquiries for stuff they aren't interested in that they could pass on to you (and vice versa). For example, if you're an electrician who specialises in domestic work, you could partner with an electrician who specialises in commercial work.

People or companies who share your target audience

Sometimes referral partners can be people in a completely different industry from you if they share the same target audience. For example, if you offer accounting services for independent retailers, then a commercial fit-out company could be a good referral partner because they work with retailers. If you offer social media management for construction firms, then someone who does vehicle leasing for tradespeople might be a good fit.

These won't always be easy to identify, so you might want to start with the companies that offer similar or complementary services before you move on to this category.

Make sure they are a good fit

You ideally want to partner with people or companies who share your values. Associating yourself with unethical or poor-quality businesses could damage your reputation. So before approaching anyone, do a bit of research to make sure they are a good fit.

Check out their social media pages, read customer reviews, check them out on Companies House and so on. If you are happy they are a decent company, then reach out to them.

Meet them in person

Whenever possible, arrange to meet them in person (or arrange a video call). People are far more likely to remember you if they have actually met you.

Take them out for coffee or lunch. If you buy coffee for ten potential introducers and one of them goes on to bring you five clients a year, that's a good return on investment. If you get work from five or six of them, even better.

Stay in touch

It would be lovely if you took someone for coffee and they started putting work your way immediately, but chances are it won't work this way. That doesn't mean they won't have stuff for you in the future, so make sure you stay on their radar after your initial chat.

Ask if you can add them to your email list: If you have an email list, ask them if they would like to be added to it. That way, your name is regularly popping up in their inbox.

Engage with their social media posts: Make an effort to engage with their content. Don't be creepy and comment on every single post, but do engage every now and then.

Send personal messages or follow-ups: As well as engaging with their content, send occasional messages or follow-ups. These don't have to be "salesy" - you could just send a link to an article you think they'd find useful or let them know you enjoyed their latest blog post.

Do a good job

Some introducers will test you out by giving you a smaller project before they trust you with the big stuff. They might not want to recommend you to their biggest and best client until they are sure you can deliver a great service.

So if the first project isn't great, don't dismiss it. Do a good job. This is your chance to make a good impression.

That's not to say you should take on work you wouldn't usually do, work for free, or cut your rates on the chance it might lead to better stuff. Just be open to taking on slightly less exciting work while you're building trust.

Be reliable and easy to work with

This should go without saying, but the easier you are to work with, the more likely someone is to keep referring work to you. So don't make it difficult. Be flexible and open to compromise.

That doesn't mean you have to do everything the way they like it done if it makes life harder for you. But pick your battles. If they prefer you to use a software that isn’t your preferred software, weigh up the pros and cons. If it means thirty minutes of extra work for five extra clients a month, it’s probably worth the compromise.

And show your appreciation. When someone puts work your way, say thank you. And if someone is putting a lot of work your way, keep them sweet. Send them a gift at Christmas or take them for lunch twice a year. Invest in the relationship because good referral partners should not be taken for granted.

Act as a partner, not an employee

While it's important to maintain good relationships with referral partners and introducers, you also need to maintain healthy boundaries. You are a supplier, and they are a client - they are not your boss.

A little flexibility is ok, but you don't want to constantly deal with unreasonable requests or ridiculous demands. It's ok to push back or be clear about your terms. If you have set working hours, let them know (if relevant). Have the conversation about payment terms early. If they are being unreasonable, tell them.

You don't have to put up with toxic clients or partners (no matter how much work they put your way), so if a relationship isn't working for you, don't be scared to walk away.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket

Don't become too dependent on one source of work (no matter how great they are to work with), as you'll put yourself at risk. What happens if they decide to wind up or sell their business? Or they decide to hire someone in-house to do what you do? Or they just find a new partner to work with? Make sure you're still marketing yourself and bringing in work from multiple sources.

And if you need help with your sales and marketing, why not book one of my 90-minute starter sessions?