Written references are one of the simplest ways to help new clients feel confident about working with you.
In any new business venture, when you are building relationships with people, one great way to help new clients feel really good about you is to offer references. The best way to develop a book of references is to request them when the situation warrants one.
Formal letters are great. Start with what you have, even if it’s just one. Your long-term plan is to have a multitude of great letters of reference and endorsement over time. Keep a master letter file. Scan them, and keep them in your computer.
We don’t go about every day asking for accomplishment report cards from everyone we deal with, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask for the occasional in-person referral. However, letters are much preferred.
One way to get a nice letter is to give one. Get in the habit yourself of writing nice letters to clients and business associates. In working for companies, I would write a letter of acceptance spelling out the details of a job offer I accepted. Then that letter would become proof of my work record years later.
In business brokerage, I would simply ask a client for a letter with a request to “Tell me what you think.” This often resulted in a letter of endorsement.
Get started today building your reference file.
All the best, Frank Covich
How to collect and use written references
The best time to ask for written references is when a client has just had a good experience. Ask politely, make it easy by offering to draft a few talking points, and start with whatever you have, even if it is a single letter. Over time you will build a collection of references that speaks for you.
Keep a master file of every letter, scanned and backed up so you can find it quickly. Get permission before you share a letter with anyone, and never alter or invent a reference. One more habit worth adopting: give a letter to get one. When you take the time to write a sincere reference for someone else, they are far more likely to return the favor.
Written references work best when you put them to use. Include a few of your strongest letters in your sales materials and your formal presentation, and refresh the file regularly so it reflects your recent work.
Related reading
- The Value of a Formal Presentation
- Business Opportunity Guides: Every SmartBizOpps Article in One Place
- SCORE free business mentoring
Learn more: Wikipedia: Reference and Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
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