Building a Referral Program

I don’t have to win the trust of my clients! That is not because I have lakhs of followers on my socials!  Honestly, even with 10-20k followers, clients used to trust me. Most designers struggle with constant revisions, endless feedback and clients who doubt their every design. At first, I was there too. The breaking point came during a brand identity project where the client had me create 15 different versions! That night, I rewrote my entire client process from the ground up. I understood their emotions and concerns at first because I knew that if I had to find a solution, I would have to understand the problem at its root cause. I understood that most clients fear the unknown. So, I started to present my creative process as a structured procedure with clear expectations to build trust. → I started explaining everything behind my decision-making. "I chose this typography because it communicates stability while maintaining approachability for brand building. Here's how it compares to your competitors..." → I established a concrete feedback framework. Instead of asking, "What do you think?" I asked, "Does this align with your core brand attribute of innovation?" & "On a scale of 1-10, how well does this communicate trustworthiness?" Today our service agreement clearly outlines the number of concept presentations and revision rounds. It is important to protect the integrity of the work. Trust is earned through confident expertise, transparent processes and consistent results, not with the number of followers you have. So, understand your clients because if you address their concerns and genuinely solve their problems, they will give you outstanding referrals. What do you focus on the most to improve client experience? #graphicdesigner

Here’s one of my favorite networking tricks. It helped me land more conversations than anything else I did. And I never had to email a "stranger" again. First, I’d land an informational interview. You have to find a way to land at least one to start. During the conversation, I'd be a sponge. I’d take in everything this person was saying, ask good questions, and build a rapport. Then I’d pull out the ace up my sleeve. At the very end of the conversation, I’d ask one specific question: “Is there anyone else you think I should talk to?” The results? Pure gold. Usually they'd recommend a friend / colleague and offer to make an introduction. Warm intros typically mean guaranteed responses, way better than my cold email rates! But sometimes they’d give me a name without an intro. In that case, I’d ask if I could mention them in the email - then I'd drop their name right in the subject line: "Referral from [Name]" That also led to a significantly higher response rate. The best part about this tactic is that it creates a flywheel effect. Every person you meet will lead to you a new connection or two. Over time, you'll be sending fewer cold emails and landing tons of warm conversations. Just make sure to thank each person who makes an intro for you along the way!

In my early career, I thought networking was all about building as many connections as possible. But I quickly learned that effective networking isn't about the quantity of your connections—it's about the quality. Throughout my career, the connections that have truly made a difference weren’t the ones where I just asked for help—they were the ones where I made it easy for others to want to help me. If you want to make others genuinely want to help you, it’s crucial to move beyond simply asking for favors. Instead, focus on creating value and building relationships where both parties benefit. So, how can you do the same? Here are four tactical tips to help you network effectively: ✅ Do Your Homework Before reaching out, research the person or company you’re interested in. Understand their work, challenges, and how you can add value. For instance, instead of asking a connection for job leads, do your own research first. Identify specific roles and companies you’re targeting, and then ask if they can help with an introduction. This approach shows initiative and respect for their time. ✅ Be Specific in Your Ask Whether you’re asking for an introduction, advice, or a referral, be clear and concise about what you need. For example, instead of asking, “Do you know anyone hiring?” say, “I noticed [Company Name] is looking for a [Role]. Would you be open to introducing me to [Person]? I’m happy to send you my resume and a brief write-up you can pass along, too.” This shows that you’ve taken the initiative and makes it easier for your contact to say yes. ✅ Offer Mutual Value When requesting a meeting or advice, frame it as a two-way conversation. Instead of saying, “Can I pick your brain?” try something like, “I’d love to exchange ideas on [specific topic] and share some strategies that have worked for me.” This not only makes your request more compelling but also positions you as someone who brings value to the table. ✅ Follow Up with Gratitude After someone has helped you, don’t just say thank you and disappear. Keep them in the loop on how their help made an impact. Whether you got the job, secured the meeting, or just had a great conversation, let them know. This closes the loop and makes them more inclined to help you in the future. Your network is one of your greatest assets—nurture it well, and it will be there for you when you need it most. What’s one networking tip that’s helped you build stronger connections? *** 📧 Want more tips like these? Join Career Bites - free weekly bite-sized tips to supercharge your career in 3 minutes or less: lorraineklee.com/subscribe 📖 You can also get behind-the-scenes stories, updates, and special gifts for my upcoming book Unforgettable Presence: lorraineklee.com/book

Too often I see companies focused on the candidate experience for referrals without paying attention to the employee experience. Story time… I joined Dropbox in 2010 when it was a small startup of just 25 people. For the next few years, we were flying high…  - We reached unicorn status with a staggering $4B valuation.  - We were tripling our company-size every year.  - Our revenue and active users were growing even faster.  - And we were doing everything we could just to keep up. We had a super strong referrals program and it was always our biggest source of candidates. In 2014/2015, we started to hit some serious hiring bottlenecks… the culprit? Referrals had started to taper off. I teamed up with our Head of Recruiting Operations to figure out why. The first thing we did was gather a ton of feedback from coworkers as to why they were making fewer referrals. We uncovered a breakdown in communication.  - Many Dropboxers had experiences where they would refer a candidate and their friend would never hear back from the recruiter on the job.    - In other cases, a referred candidate would enter process, but the referrer would never hear the outcome (e.g., if their friend was rejected).  → Across the board, communication issues led to a deterioration of trust, so employees were less likely to refer their friends. We were brainstorming what to do, and one recruiter suggested… what if we added SLAs? Both for getting back to candidates AND for referrers. Here’s what happened:  1. Candidate Experience improved — because referrals were guaranteed to get a touchpoint from recruiters every 1-3 business days (depending on where they were in process).    2. Employee Experience improved — we added an SLA where referrers would hear back from a recruiter within Y days of submitting a referral about whether they were a good fit, and within Z days of that candidate being dispositioned (e.g., hired, rejected, dropping out, etc.).    3. More referrals — as we started to rebuild trust through better SLAs and communication, we started to build trust in the hiring process, and our Dropboxers were more likely to make referrals. These days, whenever I talk to customers and hear that they’re tracking referral SLAs, I smile inside… because it takes me back 2015 when me and my Head of Rec Ops were in the trenches learning the importance of referral SLAs first-hand. Are referrals becoming a smaller and smaller source of hire for your team? Consider digging in to see why fewer referrals are happening and whether adding an SLA would help. And let me know if posts like this are helpful. Happy to spend more time going down memory lane to things we did at Dropbox before starting Gem :)

You don’t need to attend awkward networking events to build connections. Here are 10 ways to network online (from your couch) to land your dream job, mentorship or just to stay in touch: 1. Start with warm calls, not cold DMs Reaching out to strangers is intimidating. So, begin with people you already admire or respect: past colleagues, old classmates, mentors, or anyone you’ve gotten value from. Reach out, share your goals, ask for advice, or simply reconnect. — 2. Build (or join) a 3-6 person mastermind Invite people you admire to check in monthly or quarterly. Ask 3 simple questions in each meeting: • What’s your biggest win? • What’s your biggest challenge? • How can we help each other? This becomes your personal board of advisors, and their networks become yours, too. — 3. Make intros within your own network Instead of always trying to add new people, try connecting two people you already know. It builds goodwill, and often sparks reciprocity. Some of my best opportunities came from introductions I made first. — 4. Be the tortoise, not the hare Strong networks aren’t built in a week. They come from consistency, trust, and staying top of mind. Check in. Celebrate small wins. Be helpful, even without asking for anything.  — 5. Send snail mail Want to stand out in a sea of LinkedIn messages? Send a handwritten card or even a fun comic with a note. The person will always remember your “extra” effort. — 6. Elevate the interaction • Only chatted with someone online? Try a call. • Had a few calls? Try a Zoom meeting. • Know them over Zoom? Meet up in person. Each upgrade strengthens the connection. — 7. Pick one platform to dominate Instead of being everywhere, go deep somewhere. For example, if it’s LinkedIn: • Endorse people • Write thoughtful comments • Share niche insights your network actually values   This depth pays off more than shallow visibility. — 8. Curate, don’t just connect Curate the best insights, tools, or articles in your niche, and share them regularly. You’ll become a trusted source people keep coming back or referring to. — 9. Do something fun together Shared activities build bonds. This could be as simple as playing a game, joining a sweepstakes, or co-hosting a webinar.  People remember who made them feel something. — 10. Swipe right (yes, really) Apps like Shapr or Invitly are designed for warm outreach — you match with people who want to meet others. It’s cold networking without the awkwardness. Networking isn’t about pitching. It’s about planting seeds. Start with one person. Reach out. Reconnect.  Then keep showing up, helping others, and making connections that count.

I wrote a book called The Referral Engine to make the case that referrals should be your #1 lead source—but there’s a catch. Early in my career, I thought doing great work was enough to keep clients coming. And for a while, it worked. One happy client led to another, and I stayed busy. Then, one day, the referrals slowed down. And I found myself wondering: Where’s the next client coming from? That’s when I realized something many business owners eventually figure out: Referrals don’t just happen. They have to be built into your marketing system. Too many businesses think referrals are random. They do great work, cross their fingers, and hope happy clients will spread the word. Yes, that better be happening. But that’s not a strategy. I started asking myself some different questions. ~ How do I make referring me the easiest thing my clients can do? ~ How do I teach my best customers to tell the right story about me? ~ How do I bake referrals into every stage of my client experience? Just thinking this way changed everything. Instead of waiting for referrals, I created a system to generate them. Here’s what I figured out. First, people don’t refer businesses. They refer experiences. If your work is just “good,” no one is talking about it. If your process is clunky, no one is bringing their best contacts into it. The easiest way to get more referrals is to create something worth talking about. Second, most people would be happy to refer you, but they don’t know how. If you want more referrals, you have to make it easy. Give people the right language to use. Create a process that naturally encourages introductions. Make referring you feel like a win for them, not a favor to you. Finally, the best way to generate more referrals is to teach before you sell. Create content that positions you as the expert people want to send their friends to. Be the person people naturally think of when someone asks, “Who do you know that does great work in this space?” When someone tells me their lead generation is inconsistent, I don’t tell them to start cold calling. I tell them to make referrals a system, not an accident. So I’m curious—what’s one thing you do to make referrals a natural part of the customer journey?

I talked with them for business but now they are like close friends!! It still surprises me how many of our best client relationships started with just a simple conversation: no pitch, no deck, just real talk. Early on at Torchlight, I believed sales was about perfect decks, clever pitches, and chasing every lead in sight. But as we started handling bigger accounts and more complex projects, one thing became clear: No one trusts a stranger with a big-ticket decision. Did you know a study by even LinkedIn shows that buyers are five times more likely to engage with someone who’s helped them before, even without a pitch. At Torchlight, this is how we work. We never just show up in someone’s inbox and start selling services. We spend time understanding what’s actually going on in their business, what’s working, what’s not, what keeps them up at night. Sometimes, it’s a simple conversation about what’s happening in their industry. Sometimes, it’s sharing a resource or insight, no strings attached. We’ve had deals that took six months to close, but those are the clients who stay with us for years. Because by the time we talk business, they already trust that we “get it.” We become their sounding board, not just another agency chasing targets. Why does this work? When someone feels you’re invested in their success, not just your own, it triggers what is called the “liking principle”, people want to do business with people they actually like and trust. Quick wins in sales are rare, and usually, they don’t last. But relationships? Those are the real long-term assets. They bring in more business, more referrals, and frankly, more satisfaction at the end of the day. So before you rush to pitch your next service, ask yourself: Have you earned a seat at their table, as a person, not just a provider? That’s where the real selling starts.

Why ₹100 Referrals Don’t Work in Tier 2 India And what actually does. A few years ago, I assumed referrals were a simple game: Give someone ₹100, and they’ll get 3 of their friends to sign up. That worked. Until I tried it in Tier 2 India. And not as successful. I spent the last few weeks studying failed and successful referral programs in Tier 2 & 3 India -from gaming and finance to health and edtech. Here’s what I learned 1. Trust > Transaction Referrals in smaller towns are personal. It’s not “Get ₹100 and refer your friend.” It’s “If I’m doing this, and I trust it — so should you.” A neighbour, a cousin, or a shopkeeper saying “Yeh achha hai” > beats any ad, any coupon. 2. Relationships, Not Rewards People here don’t refer for ₹100. They refer because they want their cousin to benefit. Their community to win. I call it the “If you win, I win” mindset. And you can’t buy that with small cash. 3. Hyper-Local, or Nothing Referral messages work "only" when they feel native: -Vernacular language  - Local idioms & festival cues  -Delivered via WhatsApp groups, temples, kirana stores One of the most effective campaigns I saw? Printed flyers handed out by teachers at local schools. 4. Recognition Beats Rupees A shoutout at a community event. A thank-you in a local Facebook group. A small badge for being the “top recommender” at a nearby clinic. That social reward outperforms cash in places where "reputation = ROI". So what’s the takeaway? If you’re designing a referral program for Bharat:  1/Anchor in community  2/Localize everything  3/Build for trust, not conversion  4/Use cash as a supporting nudge - not the hook Curious to hear from you: What’s a small growth experiment that failed - until you rethought the user’s world Let’s trade notes.

Advice for women in their 20s and 30s Nurturing relationships, social capital, and professional visibility will increase your chances of getting career-advancing referrals. Referrals are one of the most powerful drivers of professional success. Whether you’re seeking a new job, landing a client, or securing an investment, having the right people mention your name in the right rooms can open doors that hard work alone may not. But how do you ensure that others advocate for you when you’re not in the room? Here are four key ways to increase your chances of getting referrals. 1. Cultivate Authentic Relationships Referrals are built on trust, not transactions. The most valuable referrals come from individuals who genuinely believe in your skills, work ethic, and character. Instead of networking with a "What can I get?" mindset, focus on fostering meaningful relationships. Offer support, share insights, and show genuine interest in others' success. Tip: Schedule regular check-ins with mentors, colleagues, and peers. A simple "How can I support you?" message can deepen connections and make them more likely to think of you when opportunities arise. 2. Build a Reputation for Excellence People refer individuals whose work they trust. If you consistently deliver high-quality results, demonstrate leadership, and solve problems effectively, you increase the likelihood of being recommended. A strong professional reputation makes it easy for others to vouch for you without hesitation. Tip: Identify your unique strengths and communicate them clearly in meetings, presentations, and online platforms. Make it easy for others to articulate what you’re known for. 3. Stay Top of Mind Even the most well-intentioned contacts won’t refer you if they forget about you. Visibility matters. Engaging on professional platforms, sharing industry insights, and participating in relevant conversations ensure that when an opportunity arises, your name is the first one that comes to mind. Tip: Post valuable content on LinkedIn, attend industry events, and contribute to professional discussions. The more you show up, the more likely you are to be remembered. 4. Give First, Receive Later One of the most effective ways to receive referrals is to give them. When you connect people to opportunities, resources, or potential collaborators, you position yourself as a valuable member of your network. Reciprocity is a powerful force in professional relationships. Tip: Actively look for ways to recommend, introduce, or endorse others. By being a connector, you increase the chances that others will return the favor. By cultivating strong relationships, maintaining a reputation for excellence, staying visible, and giving generously, you can ensure that when your name comes up in a room full of decision-makers, it’s attached to an opportunity. What advice do you have for women in their 20s and 30s ? Let me know in the comments ⬇️

Seeing a job you like & reaching out to people you don’t already know at that company to see if they would help you land it…is NOT #networking That is "cold calling" and the sales tactic many of you despise Networking is: 1 - building relationships BEFORE you need them 2 - showing interest in other people and their stories 3 - giving support to others (or at least offering) 4 - sharing your stories & updates 5 - building trust over time through engagement #quinnsights It is why many experienced veterans harp on "starting early" for your transition (at least 1-2 years out) So you don't NEED anything other than relationships or information when reaching out to people And give yourself time to build meaningful relationships where you may need them in the future Because while we don't want it to be transactional...it certainly can be #intentional Questions? Anything you would add?