{"id":25345,"date":"2022-04-15T08:00:22","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T13:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taxprocenter.proconnect.intuit.com\/?p=25345"},"modified":"2022-05-23T09:54:05","modified_gmt":"2022-05-23T14:54:05","slug":"surprising-tips-to-ignite-client-referrals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/accountants.intuit.com\/taxprocenter\/practice-management\/surprising-tips-to-ignite-client-referrals\/","title":{"rendered":"7 surprising tips to ignite client referrals"},"content":{"rendered":"

While there are plenty of ways to find new clients<\/a>, word of mouth is probably how you’re getting most of your business. Why? The reason is simple.<\/p>\n

Finances are built on trust<\/a>, and people are most likely to trust someone a family member or friend recommends. That\u2019s why most tax and accounting professionals thrive on referrals<\/a>. But is that the best way to grow your practice?<\/p>\n

While referrals can be unpredictable, they tend to be your best source of new business because they’ve come to you through a previous happy client. Referred prospects have a level of trust you won’t find with prospects coming from other sources\u2014and they’re more likely to stay with you for years and even refer you to their friends.<\/p>\n

If you want to build a thriving firm over the long term, acquiring referrals is key, and the sooner you start, the better. Here are seven surprising, yet proven ways to gain new referral clients.<\/p>\n

1. Find more referrals with a mindset shift<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Getting consistent referrals can be challenging, even for the strongest business. But it all starts with your mindset.<\/p>\n

It’s easy to think about how to encourage your customers to recommend you. For example, you could offer a discount for each new client or ask clients to suggest friends who might be interested in your services. However, these heavy-handed techniques often don’t work as well as you’d hope because of the psychology of a referral. Someone who recommends your business to a friend isn\u2019t looking for a personal perk, but for excellent service their friend will like, too. That\u2019s why external rewards don\u2019t always generate the referrals you would like.<\/p>\n

Instead, personal recommendations happen when clients are happily surprised at the quality of service you offer. The main driver of more referrals is providing remarkable service.<\/p>\n

To grow referrals, consider a mindset shift; instead of looking for new ways to generate business, start with your services. Consider how you can treat clients well and provide extra value. They\u2019ll want to recommend you to others without additional nudging.<\/p>\n

2. Offer something extra with your services<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Just as a doctor can help diagnose issues before they become urgent, use your experience and judgment to prevent trouble areas that might lie ahead for your clients.<\/p>\n

For example, identity theft<\/a> is a threat every taxpayer faces. Helping clients think through their identity protection, and what software or services they use to protect their identity<\/a> and records, is a good first step. Walk clients through ways they can prevent identity theft so they can monitor themselves and take steps to ensure their identity isn’t stolen.<\/p>\n

Helping clients think through their identity protection, and what software or services they use to protect their identity and records, is a good first step.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Start taking notes on common follow-up questions if you\u2019re just starting or not sure what issues your clients commonly face. Your CRM can be a helpful tool to measure common issues after frequent questions.<\/p>\n

3. Keep your internal communications in sync<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re a small firm, you might depend on memory to know who to contact and when, but as you grow, this becomes impossible. There are too many clients, each with unique and changing needs who are looking for personalized guidance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A customer relationship management (CRM) platform is the first step to a synchronized system. You can track customer data and information in a single place your entire team can access.<\/p>\n

Employing a business VoIP solution<\/a> is the most critical part. Instead of having messages and data scattered across email, phone, and everywhere else, you can keep it all in one place. Integrate your communication software with your CRM and keep all your sales, marketing, and work on the same page.<\/p>\n

You can learn important trigger points for clients and keep up with them with perfectly timed messages. Internal communication software keeps all conversations in one place, so anyone on your team can easily reference what you\u2019ve already talked about, whether by phone, text, email, or something else. This kind of personalization shows your client they\u2019re more than just a number.<\/p>\n

4. Overshoot your goals<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You\u2019re a competent professional with excellent qualifications, a great work ethic, and services that keep clients happy. Isn\u2019t that everything clients want?<\/p>\n

Well, yes and no. The challenge is that today\u2019s clients have access to almost any professional on the internet. Friendly treatment and competent skills are the expectation, not referral-worthy service. And since most clients don\u2019t particularly look forward to accounting or tax preparation, they\u2019re even less likely to recommend you.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll need to overshoot your goals to impress clients, and the best way to do that is by under-promising and over-delivering on the service you offer.<\/p>\n

Start by setting client goals and expectations that are reasonable or even a bit lower than you know you can deliver \u2026 then surprise them with better service than they had anticipated.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll need to overshoot your goals to impress clients, and the best way to do that is by under-promising and over-delivering on the service you offer.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For example, create a visual timeline in Google slides<\/a> or a graph in Excel<\/a> to easily communicate expectations with your client, then deliver results faster than what you predicted, and show that visually on the timeline. Or, surprise clients with taking the extra mile to revisit all possible deductions, and make a recommendation on how to get a bigger refund next year.<\/p>\n

Another idea is surprising them with boutique customer service they are not used to with a small thank-you gift.<\/p>\n

Consider each step you take with clients\u2014consulting, handling their work, and delivering a final product. Brainstorm ways you could offer something unique and unexpected at each stage. Don\u2019t limit yourself to over-delivering only when you\u2019re providing services. You can keep clients impressed and engaged every week.<\/p>\n

5. Create a newsletter to keep clients informed<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Getting more referrals is often a question of staying top-of-mind with your clients.<\/p>\n

Sure, a client might recommend you to friends during tax season, but when their hairdresser mentions months later that she\u2019s looking for tax help, does your client think of you? Or, do they just nod and forget the question 10 minutes later? This is why one of the secrets to more referrals is staying fresh in the mind of your clients.<\/p>\n

One of the best ways to do that is with a newsletter<\/a>, and while it doesn\u2019t seem to be a \u201csurprising\u201d tip, if it\u2019s done right, it works. A newsletter isn\u2019t about selling your services\u2014it\u2019s about providing valuable information. For example, Romeo Razi at Taxed Right<\/a> shares a newsletter about tax tips and strategies that can be used throughout the year.<\/p>\n

In 2022, financial services had an average email open rate of 21.29%<\/a>. That means one of every five people you email will read at least part of your newsletter. A weekly newsletter sent to 100 clients means you\u2019ve reminded 20 people every week of you and your services. And those numbers add up. A customer who just read your newsletter on tax-saving tips will immediately think of you next time their hairdresser brings up the subject.<\/p>\n

6. Pay attention to the emotional side<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Finances may be all numbers, but clients think and buy emotionally. For every one of your clients, their money represents hopes, dreams, and fears. Tapping into the emotional side of their financial needs builds a connection that generates trust, a better working relationship, and more referrals.<\/p>\n

If you usually focus only on business, don\u2019t be afraid to move beyond small talk on personal issues. Learn about your clients\u2019 family life, personal and financial objectives, and take those goals into account when helping with finances.<\/p>\n

Once you learn what they want to improve in their lives, you\u2019ll have a much clearer idea how to help them. For example, a young couple planning on starting a family have very different financial needs than a couple who wants to retire<\/a> early.<\/p>\n

You can also include this information in your CRM, so you and your staff remember the details. This can help you offer an even more personalized service worth recommending. Understanding these outside issues will give you new insight into more than just finance. Once you expand to thinking about a client’s emotions, you\u2019ll discover other ways to help them.<\/p>\n

7. Launch a blog or podcast<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you want a larger audience\u2014or just a steady stream of new clients\u2014start creating content. Two of the best ways right now are to write a blog<\/a> or start a podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Whatever kind of content you create, you can share ideas, tips, and your opinion on relevant financial issues. You can also share behind-the-scenes explanations of the strategies and processes you use to help clients.<\/p>\n

A podcast is a phenomenal way to build a relationship with existing clients. You can even bring them on as guests and feature their success stories. By putting the spotlight on your clients, you make them the hero and show prospective clients how you can help.<\/p>\n

Remember that the most successful content focuses on a specific audience. If you primarily work with local clients, create content for your town and feature highlights that matter to your community. If your audience isn\u2019t local, choose a specific area\u2014such as finance for law firms or saving tips for families.<\/p>\n

The bottom line on generating new client referrals<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Financial services that just meet expectations aren\u2019t good enough anymore. Today\u2019s clients recommend businesses with services that over-deliver. Thankfully, there are several ways to build strong relationships with existing clients and over-deliver on what you already do.<\/p>\n

Put the spotlight on your client, and find ways to anticipate their needs. Help with your expertise and guide them in other areas, even if they\u2019re not related to finance.<\/p>\n

By far, the most important factor is consistency. Instead of trying all the techniques on this list at once, focus on one or two that make the most sense for how you currently run your firm. Make them happen consistently, and you\u2019ll start to see results.<\/p>\n

Top-quality service isn\u2019t a one-time deliverable, but a long-term habit. Make a point to consistently deliver more than what your clients are looking for and anticipate their needs. You\u2019ll start to see more referrals than ever before.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s note:<\/strong> Dmitry\u2019s tip on podcasts is timely for tax and accounting professionals. Check out AccounTrends<\/a>, a new podcast hosted by Jasen Stine and sponsored by Intuit\u00ae Accountants. This article was originally published by the CPA Practice Advisor<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Discover new ways to find and secure referrals; marketing expert Dmitry Dragilev offers seven timely tips. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":144649020,"featured_media":25363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rkv_browse_by_id":0,"rkv_cta_id":0,"rkv_optimize_for_pagespeed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"useModifiedDate":false,"customPublishDate":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[507998780,116807],"tags":[605132289],"intuit_collection":[],"intuit_series":[],"coauthors":[646041816],"class_list":["post-25345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grow-your-practice","category-practice-management","tag-marketing"],"header_image":"","yoast_head":"\n7 surprising tips to ignite client referrals - 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