Connecting – Part I: Referrals
October 11, 2006 by Lillie
Table of contents for Connecting
- Connecting – Part I: Referrals
- Connecting – Part II: Search Engines
- Connecting – Part III: Trade Exchanges
One of my clients is an executive coach, Barbara A. F. Greene, MCC. She always talks about connecting rather than networking. Networking often turns into an exercise of making contacts for the benefit of the person making the contact, but connecting brings people together in win-win situations.
Thinking about this, I considered how my clients find me – how we connect. People find me in one of three ways, and I’ll talk about each in a separate post.
Most of my clients come from referrals. Here are a few examples:
* I’m editing a book for a minister referred to me by my friend, Chaplain Jerry Sherbourne.
* A writer wanting a critique of her manuscript was referred to me by both my friend Jan (writing consultant and professor) and my client David Bowles.
* I recently edited a master’s thesis and later prepared a resume for someone referred by Barbara A. F. Greene, who had originally been referred to me by Jan.
* I’ve edited several dissertations for students in one department of a local university. The first student was referred to me by Jan. Later, the department head who liked what I did for the first student referred additional students to me.
* Soon I will start editing a novel for a man who was referred by someone in the same office building, a friend and business associate from my days in the interior landscaping business.
* My family doctor referred his adult daughter to me when she needed a resume.
* My brother Frank Nicholson is a Realtor®. Not only has he hired me to create and maintain a Web site (AZ Commercial Property), but he also has referred his clients to me for such projects as business plans.
* Several years ago, I edited The Joy of Six by Charlene Potterbaum. Charlene had been referred by a friend in network marketing.
Actually, my editing career came about from a series of connections. I’ve already talked about how much help my friend Grace Anne Schaefer was when I first started writing. Not only did she give me pointers on the manuscript of Stroke of Luck, but she also introduced me to the Romance Writers of America and the local chapter San Antonio Romance Writers (SARA).
Fellow SARA member Cindi Myers read about a publisher looking for novels with disabled central characters. I submitted to Awe-Struck E-Books, and the novel was accepted as part of the Ennoble line. (Currently the e-book of Stroke of Luck is published by GASLight Publishing owned by my friend Grace Anne and her husband Ken.)
After Awe-Struck saw how meticulous I was (editor Kathryn Struck told me I was the pickiest person she knew!), I edited a dozen books for the company. That experience has been invaluable in my current freelance business.
I can’t tell you how many people Jan and Barbara A. F. Greene have referred to me and how grateful I am to them and everyone who has recommended my services.
But all this has been about what others have done for me, and the truth is others have done far more for me than I could ever do for them. However, I try to reciprocate whenever and however I can. Of course, I refer potential clients (or book buyers or whatever) and promote their businesses and books (as in this post) every chance I get.
And I reciprocate in other ways – answering computer questions, giving encouragement and support, anything I can do.
But the most important thing I can do when someone makes a referral is to provide the best service and deliver the best product I can for the client and make the referrer a hero for recommending me! That is my goal.
[...] As mentioned earlier, most of my clients come from referrals. A few come from search engines and expand my circle of connections greatly. [...]
[...] fall in the middle – as noted in a previous post, a publisher has called me ”the pickiest person she knows.” As an editor, I have to know and follow grammar rules or I wouldn’t have any [...]
[...] a freelancer. I haven’t had to search for work for several years. My clients come to me from referrals, search engines, and trade [...]
I think the idea of reciprocation – as you mentioned – is key if you want long term benefits from connecting.
One of the reasons people hate networking is the feeling that everyone is trying to sell to you.
My approach is to try to find people to bring together – a graphic designer who needs to find a good printer, that sort of thing.
By being ‘the connector’ I find it takes the pressure off but allows you to meet plenty of people – who all remember you for helping them out instead of selling your wares
MarkNagurski´s last blog post..Are you using content to reassure your prospects?
Mark,
Networking wouldn’t have such a bad name if everyone understood it like you do.
I like the term “connecting” over “networking” as well. And if we aren’t getting connected like we want, perhaps it’s because we aren’t connecting with the attitude of giving first before we can expect to get.
I am always looking for new ways of generating leads & prospects in my business and referrals form the core of my new business. Great post, and I love Mark’s position of being the “connector” for bringing people together. I’m sure it’s paying off in droves for him.
John,
I like your comment “if we aren’t getting connected like we want, perhaps it’s because we aren’t connecting with the attitude of giving first before we can expect to get.” That’s a great point.
Trade Exchanges or Reciprocal Link Exchanges over the internet are certainly a good way to build long term relationships and to drive traffic to your site.
AstucesWeb´s last blog post..Le Marketing sur Internet: bien plus que du référencement
I talk about trade exchanges in another installment in this series.
I don’t do reciprocal link exchanges. I certainly appreciate incoming links and consider reciprocating if appropriate, but I try to link to sites that would be of interest to my readers.
Good post, especially the issue of reciprocation. It’s something I think that gets forgotten about in the hustle and bustle of getting new clients, and meeting their goals for the new work they’re paying for. Thx for the reminder.
Ali Coffey, w/ client referrals blog
A Coffey,
I think that’s so many people forget—they want to let people know about themselves and their businesses but they forget to learn anything about anyone else.
Lillie,
Great post- the point:
“giving first before we can expect to get.” is great advice.
Thanks
.-= Healthcare Logistics´s last blog ..Healthcare Logistics – Second Life- University of Arkansas =-.
Healthcare (if you wrote Your Name @ Healthcare Logistics, I could address you as a real person rather than a function, and you would still get your keyword link),
So often people get in a hurry and want to get without giving. That’s not the best way to operate either from a moral perspective or a practical perspective.