Do it during the honeymoon. I'd never thought about it this way...why not ask for a referral when you are new and shiny? I always waited until the relationship was built and trusted. Instead Adrianne suggests, "No matter how great your service is, your firm will never be thought of as highly as when you first provide a solution. Over time, even though you might provide the same great solution over and over again, your value fades with familiarity".

Reward every step of the way. How many of us wait until the referral turns into a client to reward the refer-ee? "...when someone gives you a name or referral, immediately send him/her, say, two movie passes. They will appreciate the gesture but, more importantly, they will do two other things: They will likely call the referral up and encourage him/her to take your call (this is why communicating your progress is so important); and, They will continue to send you more referrals".