Why Some Clients Won’t Introduce You
If you’re relying on clients to make direct introductions, you’re probably leaving some referrals on the table. Many of your clients want to advocate for you. They just need a softer way.
And that usually starts by sharing something valuable.
Some clients are happy to make direct connections with people they believe should know about your valuable work. They’ll introduce you with an email, or a text, or a 3-way Zoom, or even in person.
Others need a softer – less direct approach.
🎥 Watch the video or keep reading the entire blog below.
It’s great to have your favorite way to get connected, but you want to be flexible.
So, here’s one of the simplest ways to turn those quieter clients into highly effective advocates.
Something Easy to Share
Give them something easy to share – like a short, practical checklist.
This is a simple yet valuable tool that helps someone quickly assess where they stand. Think: “7 Questions to Know If You’re Really On Track for Retirement,” or “10 Things Every Business Owner Must Have in Place Before Selling.”
A good checklist does at least 3 important things.
- It gets people thinking about their own situation. It creates awareness.
- It exposes gaps. Not in a scary way, but in a clarifying way. “Oh… I haven’t thought about that.” OR “How come my advisor never asked me this?”
THIS is where curiosity starts to build. - It naturally bridges the past and the future.
What have I done? What haven’t I done? And what should I be doing next?
Not a Referral. Sharing Something of Value
Now here’s where this becomes powerful from a referral standpoint.
When your client has access to a tool like this, sharing you doesn’t feel like “referring an advisor.” It feels like offering something helpful.
It might go a little something like this:
My advisor has this short checklist. I’ll send it to you. Personally…. I found this eye-opening. I suspect you might as well. And if you want to talk with her afterwards, I’d be happy to introduce you.
That’s a very different ask. No pressure. No awkwardness. Just value first.
When you make it easy for your clients to share something useful, you make it easy for them to share you.
One Step Further
What happens after your client shares that checklist? Or mentions you to someone in some way.
Most advisors tell their referral sources to send folks to their homepage. That’s okay but there’s stronger play. Instead, create a dedicated page specifically for your referred prospects.
Not a whole new website – just one intentional page designed for someone who’s been sent to you by a person they trust.
The tone is different. The message is different.
You’re not talking to a cold visitor. You’re speaking to someone who was invited.
You’re leveraging borrowed trust.
The headline could be something as simple as: “You’re here because someone cares about you.”
That immediately changes the experience, because it acknowledges the relationship before anything else.
I recommend a short video. A quick welcome. Let them know what you do, who you help, and what they can expect – without overwhelming them.
Bring These Two Together
That same checklist we just talked about? Feature it right on this website referral page. Your client can either share the checklist first through a direct link to the checklist or they send them to this page to access the checklist.
The prospect lands on a page that feels personal, not promotional. They engage with a tool that builds awareness and curiosity. If they resonate with your message, they can take the next step to connect with you.
No pressure. No friction. Just a thoughtful path forward.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a huge advocate for collaborating with clients and COIs for direct and effective introductions. But we have to be flexible to what our clients and centers of influence are willing to do.
If you’d like some assistance in creating such a checklist and/or developing a special referral landing page, together, we can explore the right approach for you.
Shoot me an email or look me up on LinkedIn.
➡️ Who will YOU be introduced to today❓
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