What do you do if your public speaking clients aren't referring you to others?

Request Direct Feedback: Reach out to your clients and ask for candid feedback on their experience. Understanding their satisfaction level and areas for improvement can help you enhance your services and better meet their needs. Provide Outstanding Value: Go above and beyond in your service delivery by offering personalized coaching, actionable takeaways, and continuous support. Exceptional service often motivates clients to refer you to others without being prompted. Ask for Referrals: Don’t be afraid to directly ask satisfied clients for referrals. Express that you value their support and would appreciate any introductions to others who might benefit from your services, making it easy for them to connect you with potential clients.

If your public speaking clients aren't referring you to others, start by seeking feedback to understand any areas for improvement. Ensure you’re delivering exceptional value in your presentations, exceeding client expectations. Strengthen relationships by staying in touch after the event, sharing relevant content, and expressing genuine interest in their success. Politely ask for referrals and testimonials, making it easy for clients to recommend you. Offer incentives, such as discounts on future bookings, for successful referrals. Continuously refine your craft and stay visible through social media and networking to increase your chances of being top of mind for referrals.

Sometimes the reason people don't get referrals is because there seem to be no benefit from doing so. To motivate others go refer you, a strategy you can use is to give them an offer they can refuse in exchange for referrals. When they know they will gain from you with offers like discounts, rebates, special treatments etc they will do well to invite others.

There’s a great scene in “MONEYBALL,” which should be required viewing for anyone who is seeking to change their game to succeed, where Billy Beane, the GM of the Oakland A’s, says to his old school scout, “Adapt or die!” If your current network is not helping you, then you need to expand your network. Don’t keep doing things that aren’t working; try something new. Get on social media to expand your brand. Go speak to different groups. Cast a wider net. When it comes down to it, the thing that holds most people back is themselves.

If I find that past clients are not referring me, I would ask for the referral. Never assume a referral is being made. Ask your client for a referral and make it EASY for them to give the referral. It may be that you can write the referral, send it to them and they approve it. You can also ask for a referral as part of your contract. This allows you to set the expectation at the beginning.