Maybe cold calls worked in the past. Maybe one out of every ten people you called turned into a sale. These days, however, very few people respond to cold calls- or cold emails. It's all too easy to just delete the voicemail or email because these days consumers are inundated constantly with information. Spam filters are working overtime just to keep up with the numerous email offers for any type of product or service imaginable. It's nearly impossible to make an impression without some kind of connection. How do you keep your information out of the spam folder?
Use a warm introduction. It's important that this introduction forms a connection for the client, mention who gave their names and why that person thought this would be a good connection to make. Be upfront and personal about who you are and what you can offer. Any kind of relevant connection to their lives is important- this is not all about you. Make your services "value-added", because this relationship could turn into even more referrals. If you approach each sale like this, the less likely you are to need cold calls because by providing value to each customer and in turn generating more business.
Run a report in your CRM. Start with your last five clients that you had a successful relationship with. Identify how you reached out to them for referrals, when, and what, if any reply, you received. You can also use this to keep track of what referrals turned into sales- and then have those sales listed as new contacts for referral. It's also possible that one client may refer you multiple prospects, so it's always important to send a quick thank you email to your client. Your CRM can help you keep track of all this information. Five successful clients used to generate leads will not only provide you with a warm introduction, but it can snowball into many different relationships.