This post, “” is a follow-up post to tip #85 in our article, “101 Graphic Design Tips for Business Success”. Please be sure to subscribe to that list if you haven’t seen it already.

Give The Best Quality And Service

Getting great referrals is all up to you. It’s quite simple really. Design only the highest quality designs, and give excellent service. Your work will speak for itself. If people enjoyed working with you and liked the end product they will tell other people. And in this competitive business a good referral is the key to keep work coming in.

That being said, a bad referral can be a killer. People will talk good or bad, so it’s up to you to make it as good as you can. You want to make sure you are a five-star rated designer. You are consistently productive, thoughtful, and reliable. You have to balance high quality work with being personable and responsive.

Get Your Best Referrals

Think of it as staying at a really nice hotel. The room was exquisite, view breathtaking, food delicious and the receptionist was well…rude. Does that ruin the whole experience? You bet it does. Are you going to tell people to stay there? No way. In order to get your best referrals you not only have to deliver a superb product, but deliver it with a genuine smile and positive client experience. In fact most people will give you a pass on design if you are a real delight to work with.

And if you are just not sure how well you are doing, create a scorecard for your clients to fill in at the end of their project. The truth hurts sometimes, but it can give you a good base for things that you need to work on. This can all seem like an added pain but when you work on it your will generate a healthy system of repeat customers that will talk you up to their friends.