Why I don’t ask for referrals

Yesterday I said I love giving referrals and I suck at asking for them.

I feel uncomfortable asking for help.

Asking for a referral makes me feel desperate.

I know it’s all in my head.

Just for fun, I Googled “how to ask for referrals” and guess what came up?

Templates.

Lots of templates.

Some of the templates say to “make it personal.”

I’ve never been a big fan of templates because they don’t feel authentic.

I try to stuff my words into the template and it ends up like putting lipstick on a pig.

One tip did resonate with me.

Share the characteristics of your favorite clients and how you help them.

Here goes nothing.

My favorite clients in no particular order:

1. Family is their top priority
2. They worked in the corporate world for over 20 years
3. They’re ready to venture out on their own or they’ve been laid off and don’t know what’s next
4. They want to maintain their skills, be relevant, stay engaged, and be part of an engaging community
5. Their perfect business would be a…