Studies have proven that there is one reason why people don't do more referral business: they don't ask. There are two reasons why: they forget or they don't have a strong enough relationship with their clients, so they don't feel comfortable.
 
The truth is, every professional should strive to have all of their business be referral based because the benefits are undeniable and extensive.
 
1. Referrals are more professional
 
2. Referrals make your job easier and more fun
 
3. Referral clients are more likely to call you back
 
4. Referrals are motivating
 
5. Referrals are more profitable
 
6. You have more credibility with referrals
 
7. Referrals take less time and resources
 
Keys to getting more referrals:
 
1. Ask for them - The worst they can say is "no."
 
2. Have a specific and systematic way of asking for referrals. For instance, ask first within the organization, then within the industry, then about the industries that industry interacts with.  The process you use is not the most critical point.  The critical point is your consistency and making sure you don't forget.
 
3. Do not be too general and ask "who else do you know?" This will have him or her thinking about too many people. They will end up saying, "I can't think of anyone. I'll call with some names later." We all know what happens later.  You never get the call or email.
 
4. Plant referral seeds throughout your sales cycle. During the course of your conversation(s)/presentation(s), the more people you get them to mention (the seeds), the more people you have to go back and harvest as referrals at the end of your conversation/presentation. Bring out and develop relationships, which you can later go back and use as referrals.
 
At the end of the day, the process of getting a referral is much less intimidating then the process of approaching someone completely new and with whom you have no history or reference point. Even more, referral business is generally much more rewarding then cold calling. Obviously, the referral process will differ depending on your industry and/or type of business (B2B, B2C, etc.), but no matter what, you can develop a system. Increasing your referral business will make your job easier, your work more profitable, and your life more enjoyable. So next time, start with the basics and simply remember to ask.