Susan Urquhart-Brown, MA, Career and Business Coach, former SF Chronicle Columnist, and longtime OPEN EXCHANGE lister, offers career counseling. This article is an excerpt from Susan's new book, The Accidental Entrepreneur: Practical Wisdom for People Who Never Expected to Work for Themselves. These techniques really work:

Why is referral business so coveted? Because "word of mouth" saves you time and money. Generally speaking, most people want to do business with people they know, like and trust. If you ask a friend for a referral, you trust their judgment and try out their recommendation. You as the consultant also get a prequalified lead for your business who most likely fits the criteria for your ideal client or customer. You haven't spent any advertising dollars or much time and the client is more ready and willing to buy your product or try out your service.

Perhaps you are saying to yourself, "I've heard this before. I know I should be marketing my business more, but I can't seem to get started." So here are 10 simple ways to create referrals:

1.) Tell 6 to 10 people about your business each week. Don't leave your office without your business cards and your 30 second answer to the question—What do you do?

2.) Project a consistent image of your company in all promotional materials—business card, letterhead, postcards, website, newsletter, advertisements.

3.) Be client driven: Meet their needs. The # one way to find out what clients want is to ask and then listen. Respond by acknowledging their request and developing a solution. Then deliver consistently and on time.

4.) In initial customer contacts, be welcoming and willing to answer questions or concerns. On voicemail, leave an informative message and let clients know when they can reach you and when you'll get back to them; then, follow through. Good first impressions are crucial.

5.) Consider a double-sided business card. Put a menu of services and products on the flipside. It serves as a mini brochure.

6.) Keep a calendar of your marketing activities for each month. Revise your calendar according to what type of marketing activities work the best for your business. Add more of the activities that work and drop the ones that don't.

7.) Join and participate actively in your local Chamber of Commerce and appropriate professional organizations and community groups. Remember people do business with people they know and like.

8.) Practice the art of conversation—listening and sharing and getting to know more about your customer or potential client. Conversation is a give and take like a dance. Be friendly, humorous, engaging and not just focused on doing business. People will appreciate you and your interest in them.

9.) Walk your talk. How can you advise people to do what you yourself are not doing? Do what you say you will do.

10.) Set aside time every day to do one marketing activity—even if it's a 5 minute telephone call. This will constantly feed the pipeline. People can't do business with you if they don't know who you are or what you have to offer.

Add to this list. Choose just one idea and use it consistently for a month.

Secret # 1 to successful marketing is to choose a set of simple and effective marketing activities that match your strategic plan and do them consistently. Secret # 2 is to choose those activities that best fit your target market(s) rather than what is easy for you to do. Remember, the most carefully detailed marketing plan won't work unless you make it real by putting it into action.

© Susan Urquhart-Brown, 2004