Referral marketing works, as old school financial services firms have proven. Even when your solution is less than compelling. Even when it’s the only arrow in your quiver. Even when “the ask” causes clients to squirm.

But the holistic advice you provide these days is compelling. Clients really value it. Their friends and family members need it. And yet many independent advisors still shy away from asking for referrals.

On this episode of Elementality, Reese Harper meets up with Dan Allison, a referral marketing expert with a background in behavioral psychology. They talk about what makes clients actually want to refer, why advisors avoid the discussion, and why — done right — it can actually deepen relationships. They wrap up by walking through the 5 characteristics of Dan’s angst-free approach. It’s a conversation that will have you rethinking everything you’ve come to believe about referrals.