How to ask for referrals as a solopreneur

A solo business can be jump-started by asking a network for referrals and recommendations. Referrals are effective because warm introductions from people who know your work carry more weight than cold pitches or generic messages. Many solopreneurs can find more potential referrers than expected by looking at former colleagues, professional connections, and past or current clients. Clients who are satisfied can provide specific results and describe how you collaborate. Referrals can also come from people who have not worked with you directly if they understand your work and trust your ability to deliver. Success depends on choosing who to ask, when to ask, and making the request easy to say yes to.

"Asking for referrals is uncomfortable. Most solopreneurs would rather wait for business to come to them than put someone on the spot. But referrals are one of the most effective ways to grow a solo business. A warm introduction from someone who knows your work carries more weight than any cold pitch or LinkedIn message. Now, a few years later, most of my business comes from referrals."

"You probably have more people in your network who could refer you than you think. A few starting points: Former colleagues from your 9 to 5. People who've worked alongside you know how you operate. They've seen your work ethic, your communication style, and the quality of what you produce. People in your professional network. This might be someone from a Slack community, a conference connection, or a fellow solopreneur. They don't need to have been your client-they just need to be familiar enough with what you do to pass your name along."

"Past and current clients. A client who's happy with your work is your strongest referral source. They can speak to specific results and how you work as a collaborative partner. Because I'm really active on LinkedIn, I've had people refer me who've never worked with me directly. They simply know the kind of work I do, and trust that I get it done. Referrals don't have to come from your direct connections if you put yourself out there."

Read at Fast Company