One of the most important factors in signing a new client is trust. For a freelance designer, trust can be established in several ways, but the most powerful is a good referral.

Within the past 2 weeks, 2 different prospective clients have approached me with design projects. One had been referred to me by a current satisfied client, and the other by one of my graphic design college professors. Because I had been referred by people that each client already trusted, I immediately had the new client’s trust. Signing on a new client is incredibly easy when they already trust you because of a referral from someone they know personally.

So how do you get more referrals? There are several things you can do to nudge your clients towards recommending you to others.

1. Be predictable

Consistency is a good thing, especially when you’re talking about your quality of work, your customer service, and your prompt communication. Sit down and write out your operating guidelines, including how soon you will return emails/phone calls, your rates, business hours, and anything you want a client to know when working with you. Then stick to it. It’s probably a good idea to send this list of operating procedures to a new client, so they know what to expect.

The whole experience of interacting with you should be part of your brand. People grow to like things that are familiar, and there’s a sense of security in knowing what it feels like to interact with a certain company. For example, I’m familiar with what it’s like to buy from Apple. I’ve bought a MacBook Pro and several iPods, and I’ve also had my computer worked on while under warranty. I’ve grown to like the clean, sharp design of Apple’s website and the easy checkout process. Apple products come wrapped in creative, well-designed packaging. Everything about my interaction with Apple contributes to my conception of the company’s brand, and I like the familiarity of purchasing from them.

Your brand includes not only your interaction with clients, but also your website, logo, business cards, and anything that is part of your company that a client will see. Try to create a consistent experience for your clients. When they feel comfortable and grow to like the familiarity of how you operate, they will talk about you to their friends and recommend you.

2. Be unpredictable

Consistency is good, but shake things up every once in a while by going the extra mile and giving clients a pleasant surprise. If you develop a reputation as a business person who will go above and beyond the requirements, people will grow to trust and like you more.

A few practical ways to be pleasantly unpredictable include giving away free stuff (with no strings attached), sending a thank-you card. or simply impressing your clients with amazing customer service

3. Give your client a referral

Keep an eye out for people who might need the services of your clients. When the opportunity arises, introduce a potential customer to your client and recommend the client’s services. This is a small favor that you can do your clients that they will probably gladly return.

4. Make your client into your friend

Make an effort to get to know your client outside of business conversation. By taking an interest in a client’s family, personal well-being, and daily activities, you will both benefit yourself and have the opportunity to benefit your client. I’m not talking about putting on a fake smile and asking about his family just to further your own business. Taking on the mindset of giving and investing in others will benefit everyone involved.

If you hire a close friend to work on a project for you, you will likely be more loyal to him, give him the benefit of the doubt when complex situations arise, and have more fun working together. Why not try to work towards that with your clients? It’s great to work with friends.

5. Offer incentives for clients to refer you

When my clients refer a new client to me, I will give both the new and old client a 20% discount off their next project. Another offer you can make to your clients is to pay them a cash commission for any jobs they send your way. Doing this allows you to essentially hire a sales force with no risk, because you only pay when you get paid.

Paying out a percentage of your revenue or offering a large discount may seem like a big hit financially, and it can be. However, it can contribute to your success if your goal is to maintain long-term relationships with clients, because you won’t pay commissions or give discounts when those clients return to you for future work.

You might also be interested in my article on how to get started as a freelancer and make money.

If you found this article helpful, consider subscribing to my RSS feed.

Related articles:

1. 5 Ways to Make Clients Feel Like Royalty
2. How to get started as a freelancer and make money
3. Is school really necessary for a designer?