We’d all like more referrals. However, we—many of us, anyway—aren’t comfortable asking for them.

How can we get them? This approach will work for you. I promise.

Identify some good referral sources. Come up with a list. Think about professionals who come in frequent contact with your ideal client. Consider attorneys, mental health professionals, clergy, accountants, and even hairdressers. Identify some specific people in these or other groups.

Now think about what you can do for the people on your list. Come up with ways you can help them. You might have to do some digging to figure it out. You might have to ask the referral source what you can do. You might have to ask one person what would be of use to the other. Dig, dig, dig. Don’t worry: you can’t get into much trouble by aggressively trying to help others.

Here are some ideas. Your neighbor is a TV reporter. She’s working on a story about a big criminal case. She needs an attorney to comment for her story. You’ve got a criminal defense attorney on your list. Hook them up: that’s a two-fer.

You’ve got an attorney on your list who has a high school junior in the family. You’ve got an old classmate who’s an administrator at a big college. Maybe you can arrange a personal tour for the kid.

You’ve got a client who’s a chef at a restaurant where it’s impossible to get a table. Your referral source has an anniversary coming up with his foodie wife. Can you score a table?

One of your referral sources is having marriage trouble. You know who the best (and worst) marriage counselors are. You can provide some guidance and advice on selecting one of the good ones.

It works. Trust me, I know. Here’s my proof.

Over a year ago, I started writing these articles on this site. I did it in an effort to help. I’m taking what I know and passing it along.

What happened?

Referrals, that’s what happened.

I did something nice in an effort to help you out, and you reciprocated. I didn’t have a plan when I started. I never asked for your referrals, but you came through with them. (Thank you, by the way!)

You don’t have to ask for referrals. You can simply do your best to help others, and the cycle will commence. What are you waiting for?