Referrals are often the best leads you’ll ever get.
They also tend to disappear for a very ordinary reason: the handoff is inconvenient. A client wants to help, the prospect is curious, and then nobody knows what to send, what to say, or what happens next. So the moment passes and everyone moves on.
This post is a practical referral program you can run without turning client relationships into a sales routine. You’ll get: a simple process you can repeat week to week, copy-ready scripts that sound natural, and a lightweight way to track referrals so the channel improves over time.
Create a moment worth sharing, make the share easy, then follow up fast.
Referrals aren’t magic. They’re momentum plus convenience.
Most advisors “ask for referrals” randomly. Or never. Both approaches usually lead to the same outcome: inconsistency.
Referral moments are easier to spot than people think. They usually happen right after a client says they feel clearer, calmer, or more confident, you deliver a tangible win (a decision gets made, not just discussed), the client says some version of “I didn’t realize it could be like this,” or you remove confusion around something they’ve been avoiding.
Your job isn’t to force the ask. Your job is to notice the moment and create permission for an introduction when it’s genuinely appropriate.
If you want a simple way to create more of these moments, start with your discovery process: Mastering Discovery Sessions
Choose one lane to focus on for 30–60 days.
Lane A: Client introductions. Introductions from clients to friends, family, or colleagues. This is the easiest place to start because you already have trust.
Lane B: COI introductions. Accountants, lawyers, mortgage brokers, business managers. Strong long-term channel, but it requires intentional relationship-building and consistency.
Lane C: Community introductions. Niche groups, associations, local communities. Great if you show up in a specific world regularly and your niche is clear.
If you’re not sure, start with client introductions. You can add COIs later.
Clients usually don’t hesitate because they don’t like you.
They hesitate because they don’t want to write an intro message that sounds salesy, explain what you do perfectly, coordinate scheduling, or risk their friend’s time and attention.
So you make the handoff simple.
Build one forwardable referral asset: one screen, one page, one link. It should answer who you help, what you help them do, and what happens next (one simple step).
That’s it. If the share is easy, referrals stop stalling.
The best scripts don’t ask for names. They give permission, keep the client’s reputation safe, and reduce effort.
Script 1: Permission (no names). Use right after a clear win moment.
“I’m glad this was helpful. If you ever hear a friend or colleague mention they’re stressed about money decisions, you’re always welcome to send them my way. No pressure.”
Script 2: Pattern-based (still no names). Use when you understand their world.
“People in your line of work run into this a lot. If it comes up in conversation, I’m happy to be a resource.”
Script 3: Make the intro easy (the one you’ll use most). Use when the client is enthusiastic.
“If it helps, I can send you a short note you can forward. It just explains what I do and what the next step looks like.”
Script 4: COI opener (accountant/lawyer/broker). Use when you’re building COI relationships.
“Clients ask me for a trusted [accountant/lawyer/broker] fairly often. If you’re open to it, I’d love to learn who you do your best work for, and I’ll share the same from my side.”
Script 5: Thank-you that reinforces trust.
“Thank you for the intro. That kind of trust means a lot. I’ll take good care of them.”
This doesn’t need to be big.
Weekly (10–15 minutes): scan recent client notes for referral moments, choose one client who had a recent win, send your forwardable asset (or the short forwardable note), log it.
Monthly (20–30 minutes): review outcomes (who booked, who didn’t, where it stalled), improve one thing (script, asset clarity, follow-up timing), do one COI outreach if you’re running the COI lane.
Consistency is the entire advantage here.
If you don’t track referrals, you’ll rely on memory. Memory is not a system.
Your tracker only needs: referrer, referred person, date, status (invited / booked / met / onboarded / not now), thank-you sent (yes/no).
If you want this to stay clean in your CRM, this pairs well with a simple pipeline hygiene approach: Don’t Let Your CRM Become a Graveyard
If you’re a Planswell partner, you don’t have to improvise the handoff.
You can share your advisor referral link (or pull up the QR code when you’re face-to-face) so the intro doesn’t turn into “I’ll send it later” and quietly disappear.
Here’s a short video showing how partners share it in practice
Mistake 1: Asking too early. Fix: wait until there’s a real win moment and the client feels the value.
Mistake 2: Leaving the client to write the intro. Fix: give them a forwardable asset or a forwardable note. Reduce effort, increase follow-through.
If you’re offering or receiving referral compensation, make sure you’re aligned with applicable disclosure and referral arrangement requirements. Unpaid introductions are often simpler, but it’s still worth keeping your process consistent and your communication clear.
US context (RIA marketing/testimonials/endorsements): SEC press release on the modernized Investment Adviser Marketing Rule
Broker-dealer context (payments to unregistered persons): FINRA Rule 2040
Canada context (referral arrangements): NI 31-103 (unofficial consolidation)
Write your forwardable asset (one screen). Use Script 3 once. Track it.
That’s enough to get the channel moving.