How to Get More Clients From Referrals and Self-Promotion

Wondering how to attract more clients? Looking for an innovative marketing model? 

In this article, you’ll discover a proven marketing strategy to get more clients from word-of-mouth referrals and self-promotion.

Boosting Referrals and Self-Promotion for Marketing Agencies

In today’s highly competitive marketing industry, agencies and entrepreneurs face the ongoing challenge of attracting new clients and growing their businesses. Two key strategies for achieving this goal are self-promotion and generating client referrals. However, many marketers struggle with finding the right balance between authentically showcasing their expertise and coming across as overly salesy or self-serving.

Kris Kiehn, founder and chief brand officer of Simply K2 Marketing, shares the challenges of self-promotion, particularly in light of the recent slowdown in referrals. She provides valuable insights on effectively promoting oneself and business while maintaining authenticity and professionalism in your marketing efforts.

Kris’s path to starting her marketing agency began with a desire to focus on business-to-consumer (B2C) marketing and branding development. After working on the agency side for 15 years, she launched her business as a side hustle in 2008. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Kris took the leap and went full-time with her agency, Simply K2 Marketing.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Kris found that small businesses needed her services more than ever. They appreciated working with someone who understood their struggles as a small business owner herself. Today, Kris primarily serves B2C retail, consumer-focused small businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups.

#1: Network In-Person 

One key strategy Kris recommends for boosting self-promotion is engaging in face-to-face networking. This can include attending industry events, joining virtual groups, and serving on boards. These activities provide opportunities to talk about your business and demonstrate your expertise.

For example, Kris is a part of several virtual women’s networking groups and has had the opportunity to give elevator pitches about her business, which gained her two new clients. 

Kris emphasizes the value of building relationships through one-on-one interactions rather than only posting self-promotional social media content, which can feel uncomfortable.

She believes good client relationships are built on communication and getting to know each other personally. This allows clients to see that there’s a real person behind your brand or company, fostering stronger connections and potentially leading to new clients.

For example, Kris offers a 30-minute consultation or a brainstorming session to give potential clients a taste of what she can do. 

This allows her to talk about their business specifically or provide broader advice, such as the importance of having a mix of social media and traditional marketing concepts.   

#2: Leverage Content Marketing for Self-Promotion 

Regarding content marketing, Kris advocates for long-form communication and email marketing to enhance your agency’s self-promotion. She recently launched an email newsletter that provides marketing tips and topics relevant to small business owners, like the pros and cons of owned, paid, and earned media.

Kris also includes resources and tools in her newsletters, such as video links to podcasts that feature her, which adds a personal touch and helps her audience feel more connected to her. 

While it took some time to overcome the fear of not having enough valuable content to share, Kris now sees the newsletter as essential for reaching her target audience. She sends her newsletter twice a month and says it’s crucial to do something you can sustain and consistently deliver.

It’s important to note that email is an owned channel. Social media platforms can change or even shut down without warning, leaving you no control over your audience. By building an email list, you maintain a direct line of communication with your subscribers, regardless of changes in the social media landscape. 

#3: Overcome the Fear of Self-Promotion 

Kris says overcoming the hurdle of self-promotion on social media is crucial, but it’s a work in progress. The key is to take small steps, focus on progress over perfection, and test different strategies to find what feels comfortable for you. If speaking to someone directly is too daunting, start by posting on social media and target the platforms where your ideal audience is most active. For Kris, this includes LinkedIn and Instagram.

Kris stresses the importance of mixing value-driven content with occasional self-promotional posts to maintain a balanced posting approach. Aim for a 4:1 ratio, with every fifth post focusing on selling your business. You can incorporate short videos introducing yourself and your business. However, if you’re not ready for video, start small with selfies or photos accompanied by engaging captions. The key is gradually becoming more comfortable putting yourself out there and sharing your expertise.

Kris also recommends seeking help from others when needed. Just as she hired an email marketing coach to help her launch her newsletter, seeking guidance and support from experts in areas where you feel less confident is okay. 

Remember, being authentic is more important than being a hard seller. Most people prefer to work with someone they can collaborate with rather than someone who is constantly pushing sales.

#4: Embrace Public Relations and Earned Media 

Kris shares her experience of being nominated for two marketing awards—the Cape & Plymouth Media Business to Watch Award and the Boston Business Women’s Award. While the nomination and voting process can feel uncomfortable for those who don’t enjoy self-promotion, Kris recognizes the importance of these accolades in building credibility and reputation.

It’s important to balance promoting your accomplishments and maintaining a sense of humility. Expressing your gratitude for the nominations and the support you’ve received can help you navigate this delicate balance. Remember that your audience wants to celebrate your successes with you, and sharing these milestones can inspire and encourage others in your network. Sharing your achievements on social media platforms is a great way to showcase your success and attract potential clients.

Kris encourages marketers to seek relevant awards and nominations in their industry and geographic area. Platforms like LinkedIn and newsletters from professional organizations—like the Content Marketing Institute and the American Marketing Association—are good sources for finding these opportunities. Kris also suggests engaging in reciprocity by nominating fellow marketers and business owners for awards, as this can foster reciprocity.

#5: Be Authentic and Transparent in Building Your Reputation 

Kris highlights the significance of maintaining authenticity when promoting oneself and business. She notes that many marketers create a facade online, presenting a different persona than who they are. This can lead to disappointment when clients work with them and discover a mismatch between the online presence and the actual person.

Blurring the lines between personal and professional personas can help create a more relatable and authentic image. One approach is to maintain separate social media accounts for your business and personal life but allow some overlap in content. Sharing occasional personal anecdotes or interests on your business account can humanize your brand and make you more approachable to potential clients. 

To build and maintain a strong reputation, Kris advises being transparent about your work process, availability, and pricing structure from the outset, which can help set clear expectations with clients and avoid misunderstandings down the line.  

When engaging with potential clients, treat the interaction like a job interview. Use pitch decks and initial conversations as an opportunity to understand their needs, expectations, and values to determine if you’re a good fit for each other. This is especially important when providing consultative work rather than being hired full-time.

Emphasizing that you are a small business owner can also foster a sense of camaraderie and understanding with your clients. By sharing your experiences and challenges with self-marketing, you demonstrate that you can relate to their struggles and are working through similar issues. This authenticity and transparency can help build trust and strengthen client relationships.

Remember that not every client or opportunity will be the right match, and that’s okay. By presenting your authentic self and being transparent about your work style and offerings, you’ll attract clients who appreciate and value your approach. If a potential collaboration doesn’t work out, view it as a positive outcome—you had a meaningful conversation. You can move forward knowing you stay true to yourself and your business values.

Advice for Agency Owners Looking to Boost Their Referrals Through Self-Promotion

Kris emphasizes the importance of not worrying about the next piece of business for agencies struggling due to a referral slowdown. She notes that desperation can shine through when talking to prospective clients, leading to taking on less-than-ideal projects or undervaluing your services. 

Kris offers three tips for marketing leaders looking to improve their self-promotion and find new opportunities:

• Be clear about your business and target audience: While it may seem like your product or service is for everyone, it’s crucial to identify your core target audience. Focus on the type of person or business that consistently comes back to hire you or buy from you. 
• Be brave and honest about seeking new opportunities: Don’t be afraid to tell people you’re seeking new clients. Be specific about the type of client you enjoy working with and clearly communicate the value you bring to the table. Share this information with your network, including friends and family, as you never know where a referral might come from. 
• Utilize social media channels: While in-person networking is important, leveraging social media channels is essential. Share posts announcing that you have openings for a specific number of clients in your target industry or niche. This can help spread the word and attract potential clients who may not be in your immediate network.

Most importantly, Kris says to stay true to your ideal client profile and pricing structure, even during lean times.

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