How to Ask for Referrals in B2B: The Complete Referral Playbook

Most B2B companies treat referrals like weather. They show up when they show up. You can’t predict them, you can’t control them, and you definitely can’t scale them.

I’ve worked with two dozen referral-dependent B2B companies. The pattern is always the same: 80-85% of revenue comes from word of mouth. Pipeline is a guessing game past 60 days. And the founder is the primary salesperson, stuck on what I call the referral treadmill.

Here’s a stat that puts it in perspective: 84% of B2B sales start with a referral. Referred deals close at 3-5x the rate of cold outreach. So the referrals aren’t your problem. The lack of a system is.

One of our clients, an ERP consulting firm, was getting 4-5 referrals a month. Good ones. But they had no brief, no follow-up process, and no way to track what was working. Half the referrals fell through the cracks. We helped them build the system you’re about to read. Within 90 days, their referral close rate went from 30% to over 50%. Referral volume doubled. The difference? They were actually closing the loop with their sources.

I made a video about this recently where I break down the full framework. If you want the visual walkthrough, watch it here:

This post gives you the complete B2B referral playbook: the brief, the ask scripts, the scorecard, the AI prompts, and the CRM setup. Everything you need to turn random referrals into a pipeline you control.

How to Create a B2B Referral Brief Your Clients Will Actually Use

A referral brief is a one-page document you hand to every client, partner, and referral source so they send you the right people, not just anyone who asks.

Here’s why this matters: when you tell someone “send anyone our way,” you get anyone. When you tell them exactly who you help and what that looks like, a name pops into their head. That’s when referrals happen.

If you run an ERP consulting firm, your brief might say: “We work best with food and beverage manufacturers doing $10M-$50M who’ve outgrown their current system.” If you’re an MSP, it might be: “IT directors at professional services firms with 50-200 employees who are tired of break-fix.”

The more specific you are, the easier you make it for people to refer you.

What Goes in Your Referral Brief

Who you help best:

• Industry or vertical
• Company size (revenue or employees)
• The role you typically work with first
• What’s usually happening in their business when they need you

A recent example: “We worked with [company type] that was dealing with [problem]. We [what you did]. The result was [specific outcome].”

One sentence. That’s all it takes to make the referral real in someone’s mind.

The perfect referral sounds like: “I know a [role] at a [company type] who’s dealing with [problem]. You should talk to them.”

Write your version of that sentence. Give it to every referral source you have.

Who is NOT a good fit: This protects your reputation. When you send someone to us and it works out, you look great. Spelling out who doesn’t fit makes sure that happens.

How to make the intro: Keep it simple. A quick email or LinkedIn message to both parties:

“Hey [Name], I want to connect you with [Your Name] at [Your Company]. They helped us [specific result]. I think they could help with [what you know about their situation]. Copying them here.”

That’s it. You take it from there.

How to Ask for Referrals: Scripts That Work for B2B Service Companies

Most founders know they should ask for referrals. They just don’t know how to ask without it feeling awkward. Here are the exact scripts, customized for different B2B situations.

The Specific Ask (Use This One Most)

After a win, a strong review, or a genuine compliment from a client:

“Really appreciate that. We do our best work with [industry] companies doing [$X to $Y] that are dealing with [specific problem]. If you know anyone in that world going through something similar, I’d love an intro.”

Why it works: you’re giving them a filter. A name pops into their head instead of a blank stare.

If you’re a consulting firm asking for referrals, this beats “know anyone who needs help?” every time. Specificity is the difference between a blank stare and “actually, let me introduce you to someone.”

The LinkedIn Connection Ask

Before you even ask your client, look at their LinkedIn connections. Filter by industry, company size, title. Find 2-3 people who match your ICP.

“Hey [Client Name], I noticed you’re connected to [Name] at [Company]. We’ve been looking to work with more [industry/type] companies, and they seem like they might be dealing with [problem you solve]. Would you be comfortable making an intro?”

Why it works: you did the work for them. No burden. No guessing. Just a yes or no.

This works especially well for professional services firms and consulting companies. You’re not asking them to think. You’re asking them to confirm.

The Partner Ask

For accountants, fractional CFOs, consultants, and other service providers who work with your ICP:

“We keep running into the same situation: [describe the problem your ICP has]. We solve [your piece of it]. You’re in those conversations way before we are. If you ever hear someone dealing with [specific trigger], I’d love to be the person you send them to. And it goes both ways. When we hear [their trigger], you’ll be the first call.”

Why it works: it’s mutual. You’re a peer, not someone begging for leads.

If you have a strong relationship with a complementary service provider, consider formalizing it. A simple agreement: “When we hear [their trigger], we send them to you. When you hear [our trigger], you send them to us.” Put it in writing. Review it quarterly. The ones who put it in writing always outperform the ones who leave it loose.

The Close-the-Loop Messages

This is the part most people skip. And it’s the part that determines whether someone refers you once or ten times.

If it went well:

“Hey [Referrer Name], connected with [Referred Name]. Great conversation. Really appreciate the intro. I’ll keep you posted.”

If it wasn’t a fit:

“Hey [Referrer Name], spoke with [Referred Name]. I don’t want you to feel like it was a wasted intro. I appreciate you thinking of us. They weren’t quite the right fit this time. For reference, the companies where we do our best work look like [1-sentence ICP]. If anyone else comes to mind, I’m always open.”

That second message keeps the relationship warm AND shows them who to send next time. Most people ghost their referral sources after a bad fit. That’s how you kill a referral pipeline.

The Reactivation (For Referral Sources Who’ve Gone Quiet)

Don’t say: “Got any referrals for me?”

Instead, lead with something real. A trigger you noticed:

“Hey [Name], saw that [Company] just [hired a new VP of Ops / launched a new product line / expanded to a second location]. That’s a big move. How’s everything going on your end?”

Or send value:

“Hey [Name], we just published a case study on [topic relevant to them]. Thought you might find it useful. Would love to catch up when you have 15 minutes.”

Best move: pick up the phone. A 5-minute call beats 10 emails. “Hey, I was thinking about you. How’s business?” is the most underused referral play there is.

Follow up 2 weeks later with the specific ask. The value-first move earns the right.

Grade Your Referral System: The 3-Pillar Scorecard

A B2B referral system has three pillars. Most companies are strong on one, weak on the other two. Every company I’ve audited that scores below 36 on this scorecard is leaving referrals on the table. This 2-minute diagnostic tells you where to focus.

Rate yourself 1-5 on each question. (1 = we don’t do this. 5 = this is built into how we operate.)

Pillar 1: Customer Success Drives Referrals

Question	Score (1-5)
We have regular touchpoints with clients AFTER the project/sale closes	___
Those touchpoints are about their business, not upselling	___
Our clients would say we “show up after the check clears”	___
We know what’s changing in our top 10 clients’ businesses this quarter	___
Pillar 1 Total (out of 20):	___

 

Below 12? Your client relationships are transactional. Referrals will feel forced because the relationship isn’t deep enough to generate them naturally. This week: call your top 3 clients. Ask what’s changing in their business. Don’t sell. Just listen.

Pillar 2: Rewarding the Right People

Question	Score (1-5)
We know WHO in our company actually owns each client relationship	___
That person is recognized/rewarded when a referral comes from their client	___
Our team invests in client relationships beyond the scope of work	___
Clients contact their day-to-day person (not the CEO) when something matters	___
Pillar 2 Total (out of 20):	___

 

Below 12? You’re rewarding the company or the sales rep, but not the person who actually built the trust. That’s why your team treats referrals as someone else’s job. This week: ask your team who your top 3 clients call when something goes wrong. Those are the people to reward first.

Pillar 3: Facilitation and Community

Question	Score (1-5)
We bring clients together (roundtables, events, peer groups)	___
Clients see us as a facilitator, not just a vendor	___
Our clients have met other clients through us	___
Referrals happen organically during client interactions (not just from asks)	___
Pillar 3 Total (out of 20):	___

 

Below 12? You’re missing the biggest referral play available to you. When clients see each other’s results, they refer themselves. You don’t have to ask. This month: invite 3-5 clients to a casual virtual roundtable. One topic. One hour. No pitch. Watch what happens.

Your Total Score: ___ / 60

Score	What It Means
48-60	You have a system. Now refine and track it.
36-47	Foundation is there. One or two pillars need work.
24-35	You’re getting referrals on reputation alone. There’s a lot more available.
Below 24	Your referrals are random. This playbook is exactly what you need.

AI Prompts to Automate Your B2B Referral System (Copy and Paste)

These are the prompts you paste into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI tool to start running your referral system smarter. Plus what to set up in your CRM.

You don’t need to be technical. If you can copy-paste and fill in blanks, you can do this.

Prompt 1: Find ICP Matches in Your Client’s Network

What it does: takes your ICP definition and helps you prepare a targeted referral ask before you even talk to your client.

Where to use it: ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI assistant.

I run a B2B company. Here’s who we help best:

– Industry: [your industry, e.g., food and beverage manufacturing]

– Company size: [revenue range, e.g., $10M-$50M]

– Role we work with: [e.g., VP of Operations, CEO, CFO]

– Problem we solve: [e.g., they’ve outgrown their ERP and it’s costing them time and money]

I’m about to ask [client name] for a referral. They work at [client company] in [their industry].

 

Help me:

1. Describe the kind of person in their network who would be a great fit for us – be specific about job title, company profile, and the situation they’re likely in.
2. Draft a short, natural message I can send asking for a specific intro (not a generic “know anyone?” ask).
3. If I already found someone on LinkedIn I want to ask about, draft an alternative message where I reference that specific person.

 

Keep it conversational. No corporate speak. Sound like a real person.

What you’ll get: a ready-to-send referral ask that’s specific, natural, and does the thinking for your client.

Prompt 2: Draft a Personalized Referral Ask After a Win

What it does: takes the details of a recent client win and turns it into a warm, natural referral ask timed to the right moment.

I just had a great result with a client. Here are the details:

– Client: [name/company]

– What we did: [brief description of the project or engagement]

– The result: [specific outcome – hours saved, revenue impact, system improvement, etc.]

– Something they said recently: [any compliment, positive feedback, or milestone they mentioned]

Draft a referral ask message I can send them. The tone should feel like I’m continuing the conversation, not pivoting to sales. Reference the win naturally. Include a specific description of who I’m looking for (my ICP is [fill in]) so a name pops into their head.

Keep it under 100 words. Conversational. No “I hope this email finds you well.”

What you’ll get: a message that feels like a natural next step in the relationship, not an awkward ask.

Prompt 3: Build Your ICP Referral Brief

What it does: takes your rough thoughts about who you serve and turns them into a clean, one-page brief you can hand to any referral source.

I need to create a one-page referral brief I can give to clients and partners so they know exactly who to send my way.

Here’s what I know about our best-fit clients:

– Industry: [fill in]

– Company size: [fill in]

– The role that usually brings us in: [fill in]

– What’s usually happening when they need us: [fill in]

– A recent client success story (1-2 sentences): [fill in]

– Who is NOT a good fit: [fill in]

Write this as a clean, scannable one-pager. Use short sentences. Include a section called “The Perfect Referral Sounds Like” with a fill-in-the-blank sentence they can picture. End with simple instructions on how to make the intro (email or LinkedIn message).

Write it like a founder talking to another founder. No marketing fluff.

What you’ll get: a polished referral brief ready to print or email.

Prompt 4: Close-the-Loop Message Generator

What it does: takes the outcome of a referral and drafts the follow-up message to the person who referred you.

Someone referred a potential client to me. Here’s what happened:

– Who referred them: [name]

– Who they referred: [name/company]

– What happened: [had a great call / not the right fit / still in conversation / closed the deal]

– Any relevant detail: [e.g., “they were too small for us” or “we’re starting a project next month”]

Draft two versions of a follow-up message to the referrer:

1. If it went well
2. If it wasn’t a fit (without making them feel bad, and gently coaching them on who IS a better fit)

Keep both under 50 words. Warm, genuine, fast to read.

What you’ll get: a message that protects the relationship AND makes the next referral better.

Prompt 5: Referral Timing Signal Monitor

What it does: the best referral asks land because of when you ask, not what you say. This prompt builds your radar for the moments that matter.

I run a [type of company, e.g., “ERP consulting firm”] serving [ICP description, e.g., “mid-market manufacturers doing $10M-$50M in revenue”].

Help me build a list of signals that indicate the right time to:

1. Ask an existing client for a referral
2. Reach out to a past referral source to reactivate the relationship
3. Approach a new potential referral partner

For each signal, give me:

– What the signal is (e.g., client posts about a win on LinkedIn, client’s company announces a new hire)

– Why it’s the right moment

– A one-sentence outreach idea I can use

Focus on signals I can spot on LinkedIn, in my CRM, or through normal business conversations. Keep it practical – things I can actually notice without hiring a research team.

What you’ll get: a cheat sheet of timing triggers so you’re reaching out when the moment is right, not when it’s convenient.

What’s Next: The Full AI-Powered Referral System

The prompts above are manual. You paste, fill in, send. Once that’s working and you’ve got the rhythm, here’s what you can build from there:

• An AI agent that watches your clients’ LinkedIn activity: new hires, promotions, company milestones, posts about wins. Each one is a signal to reach out.
• That same agent can scan your clients’ connections and flag people matching your ICP. Instead of “know anyone?” you ask about specific people.
• Your CRM data feeds into automated referral ask drafts. You review and send. The AI does the prep work.
• And the close-the-loop piece? Automated. Reminders, draft messages, logging. All handled.

Some of our clients are already running this. It works.

We build these systems for B2B companies. If you want to see what yours should look like, book a free strategy call. We’ll walk through the CRM setup, the automations, and the AI agents together.

CRM Referral Tracking Setup Checklist

You don’t need a six-month CRM overhaul. You need four things set up. Here’s what they are and what they do.

1. Referral Source Field (on every contact/deal record) A custom field that answers: “Who sent us this person?” This lets you track which referral sources are actually producing results vs. just sending names. Every CRM (HubSpot, Zoho, Salesforce, Pipedrive) lets you add a custom text or dropdown field. Takes 2 minutes.

 

2. Referral Pipeline Stage Add “Referred” as a lead source or deal origin. This lets you run a report: “What’s our close rate on referred deals vs. everything else?” That one number tells you how valuable your referral system is and gives you the data to invest more in it.

 

3. Close-the-Loop Reminder Set a task or reminder that fires 7 days after a referral comes in. The reminder says: “Did you update [referrer name] on what happened with [referred person]?” Most CRMs have task automation or workflow rules. If yours doesn’t, a recurring calendar reminder works.

 

4. Referral Activity Report A simple dashboard or saved report that shows: how many referrals came in this quarter, who sent them, how many converted, and how many loops were closed. If it’s not tracked, it’s not a system. It’s a wish.

 

That’s it. Four fields. Not a six-month CRM overhaul. You can set this up in an afternoon. One of our clients set this up in HubSpot in under two hours and had their first referral activity report running by the end of the week.

Your CRM Punch List

• Add “Referral Source” field to contacts/deals
• Add “Referral Date” field
• Add “Referral Status” dropdown (New / Contacted / In Conversation / Won / Lost / Not a Fit)
• Add “Loop Closed” checkbox
• Add “Referral” as a Lead Source option
• Add “Referred, Intro Made” as a deal stage
• Set up auto-task: 7 days after referral, “Close the loop with [referrer]”
• Set up monthly reminder: “Review referral sources. Who haven’t you talked to in 60 days?”
• Create saved report: Referral deals by source
• Create saved report: Referral close rate vs. all other sources
• Create saved report: Open loops (referrals where loop isn’t closed)

Time to complete: one afternoon. No CRM consultant required.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you ask for referrals without being pushy?

The key is timing and specificity. Ask after a genuine win or positive moment, not out of the blue. And instead of “know anyone?”, describe exactly who you help: industry, company size, the problem they’re dealing with. When you’re specific, a name pops into their head. When you’re vague, they feel put on the spot.

What is a B2B referral program, and do I need one?

A B2B referral program is a structured system for generating, tracking, and rewarding referrals from clients, partners, and your network. You don’t need a formal program with incentive tiers and landing pages. You need a brief that tells people who to send, scripts so you know how to ask, and a CRM setup so nothing falls through the cracks. That’s the system.

How do consulting firms build a referral program?

Consulting firms get the best referrals by being specific about who they help. Instead of “we do management consulting,” say “we help mid-market manufacturers cut operational waste when they’re scaling past $10M.” Then build relationships with complementary service providers (accountants, fractional CFOs, IT firms) who see your ideal clients before you do. Formalize those partnerships. Review them quarterly.

How do MSPs and IT services companies get more referrals?

MSPs and IT services companies should focus on two things: post-sale relationship depth and partner referral agreements. Your best referral source is a client whose problem you solved fast. Your second best is an accountant or business consultant who works with companies your size. Build both channels. Don’t rely on just one.

What’s the best referral tracking system for B2B companies?

You don’t need a separate referral tracking system. Use your existing CRM (HubSpot, Zoho, Salesforce, Pipedrive) with four custom fields: referral source, referral date, referral status, and loop closed. Add a 7-day auto-reminder to close the loop. Add three saved reports: referrals by source, referral close rate, and open loops. That’s your referral tracking system. Set it up in an afternoon.

How often should I ask clients for referrals?

Don’t set a calendar reminder to “ask for referrals every 90 days.” Instead, watch for natural moments: a project milestone, a compliment, a strong quarterly review, a LinkedIn post about a win. Those are your signals. The referral ask should feel like a natural extension of the conversation, not a scheduled event.

Can AI help with B2B referral marketing?

Yes. Start with the prompts in this playbook. They help you prepare targeted referral asks, draft personalized outreach, and spot the right timing signals. Once you’ve got the rhythm, you can build AI agents that watch LinkedIn for you, flag ICP matches in your clients’ networks, and automate the close-the-loop messages. We’ve built these for several B2B clients and they work.

What’s the difference between a referral and a warm introduction?

A referral is when someone recommends you. A warm introduction is when they actively connect you. Warm intros convert at a much higher rate because the trust transfers directly. That’s why your referral brief includes instructions on how to make the intro: a simple email or LinkedIn message to both parties. Make it easy for people to give you warm intros, not just mentions.

Your Next Move

Now you know how to ask for referrals without it feeling awkward. You’ve got the brief. The language. The scorecard. The prompts. The CRM fields.

Now pick one client. The one who just got a great result. Call them this week. Not about referrals. About their business.

The referral conversation will happen on its own.

And if you want someone to look at your referral system and tell you exactly what to fix, we do that for free. Schedule a strategy call at colonyspark.com.