.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;}
We all know that the best way to win new business is to have your old vendors and customers introduce you to your potential new customers. Referrals and word of mouth are about transferred trust based on the previous relationship and allow you to bypass many of the initial dance steps.

But is everyone a good referral source? Or do you need to be strategic about whom you ask to be a referral source? Let’s face it, some clients and vendors are better referrals than others.

But I think it goes beyond that. Before you can know which clients are best suited to help you grow your business, you’d better know what you are best suited to deliver.

As we’ve discussed before, branding is for the bold. When you have the courage to define your organization’s brand, by default you also are saying that you’re not going to try to be everything to everyone. Branding is about narrowing your focus and your reach. You will not cast your net as wide, but you will drill down a lot deeper. But before you can ask someone to sell you, you’ve got to help them.

So let’s say that you are a health-care copywriter whose passion is for making complicated medical information accessible to the layperson. Your best referral sources are going to be clients who have hired you to do that sort of work. Sure, you’ve taken generalist copywriting jobs. And those clients probably love you, too.

If they happen to refer you, great. But concentrate your energy in terms of actively soliciting referrals within your area of expertise. Honor your brand. Actively grow your business within your brand. Drill deeper. And ask your best clients to help.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2009 Drew McLellan