Often we concentrate on our prospects as the main focus for generating new business—turning prospects into clients. I’m not suggesting that this should not be a priority. It is always a good thing to have a full “pipeline” of prospects to move through your sales process. A second source of new business can come from referrals from other professionals. This is a great way to obtain warm leads from those that trust you and know your business profile, and you get an introduction to a prospective client.

The prospects that we tend to forget about are right under our noses—our clients. We do the work, we provide good service, we meet deadlines…what we tend to forget is that our clients are a great source of referrals; they just won’t always be handed to us on a silver platter.

We need to know how we are doing with our clients and we need to have meetings and conversations with them outside of our client engagements. We need to ask them how things are going. Set up breakfast or lunch meetings with your best clients and review the client’s latest financials before the meeting. Begin by thanking them for their business and then ask, in effect, “So, how’s the business doing?” This opens up the discussion and raises questions that enable you to make suggestions about possible courses of action. It is important not to move into business development mood; keep it completely conversational and be sure to pick up the tab.

Let your clients know that you like to solve problems and help other firms with similar challenges. Ask questions, express a genuine interest in the client and make them feel appreciated, offer some casual advice and pick up the tab. You’ll be amazed at the results.

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