Paula Fargo

The Best Clients Come from Referrals

So ask for them.

Published

2 months ago

February 24, 2026

Paula Fargo

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

YOUR HAPPIEST CUSTOMERS are your best salespeople — but only if you ask.

Referrals aren’t pushy. They’re powerful. And if you’re not building a habit around asking for them, you’re leaving money on the table.

Make Referrals Easy

Some customers would love to refer you, but don’t know how. Try…

A short email or card that says, “Know someone who needs a sign? We’d love the intro.”
A small thank-you gift or handwritten note when they do refer someone.
A post-sale email template with a referral link.

If you want more warm leads, tap into the trust you’ve already earned.

AI Pro Tip of the Month:

Use ChatGPT to write a friendly referral message. Try: “Write a short thank-you email that gently asks a happy sign shop customer if they know anyone else who could use our services.” Ask for multiple tones — funny, professional, casual.

Paula Fargo

Paula Fargo is the former owner of Curry Printing (Baltimore) and has recently hung up her shingle as a business consultant specializing in helping other print and signshop owners with process, productivity and profitability improvement.

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