Getting More Referrals: Do Holiday Chatchkies Work?

In case you were wondering what the heck the word "chatchkies" meant, it's a Yiddish word meaning "stuff".

I received this (see image to right) a few days ago from a guy I'd met a while back in a networking group. This guy has never called me, never emailed me to see how things were going, nor did he show any interest in me or my business at all - and yet he asks for a referral. Is this a joke?

Sadly, for most freelancers (designers or otherwise), this is what passes as a request for a referral. Not only are tactics like this old and tired, they are disingenuous and tend to irk people like me.

What this guy sent me is neither personal, relevant nor valuable - it's a cheap attempt to get more business.

As you gear up for this holiday season, avoid the temptation to send out junk like this and instead focus on providing your clients with service, value and information they can use to grow their business. Go above and beyond in helping your clients or letting them know you sincerely appreciate them - that's how you get referrals, not by sending a picture of your family in matching holiday sweaters to everyone you've ever met.