The Ins and Outs of Recommendations for Business Service Providers, Part I

Someone tagged me in a comment on a LinkedIn post recently about what happens when business service provider recommendations go wrong.

The post hit home, because once upon a time, I was a service provider recommended to someone else, and I wasn’t a good fit. A parent I knew from our kids’ daycare was a web designer, and he recommended me to a client of his. She needed copy for her website. The client was in the health and wellness space, a niche for which I had never written. I needed to make a little money, so I said yes.

It was a mistake. I didn’t understand the content deeply enough, and the client wasn’t happy. I definitely learned something from the experience—if you’re not curious enough about a niche, you won’t succeed. However, there’s also a lesson here about recommending service providers.

I’ve come up with a framework for getting the best recommendations for service providers, so you’re happy and they’re happy. In the first of three blog posts on this topic, I’ll talk about the components of a recommendation. I’ll start off with the first component: the recommender.

The Components of a Recommendation

There are three components to a recommendation for a service provider:

·         The recommender

·         The service provider

·         The person seeking the recommendation (you)

The First Component: The Recommender

Ideally, you’re asking someone you know, like, and trust for a recommendation. Yet, that doesn’t mean they’re going to give you a good recommendation.

I’ll illustrate with an example. Let’s say you’re an accountant, and you want some case studies of satisfied clients for your website. You ask Sonya, another accountant, for her recommendation.

“I know someone who’s a content writer!” she says. “His name is Craig. He’s in my networking group.”

Should you ask Sonya for Craig’s contact information? Not so fast.

The customer case study will appear on your website. If it’s poorly written, it’s a reflection on your brand. Case studies can also cost hundreds of dollars at minimum. That’s why it’s important to ask some questions of Sonya to understand if Craig is the right person for the job.

·         “Have you ever worked with Craig?” Just because Sonya knows him doesn’t mean she can vouch for his work. She might be trying to send business his way, which is nice of her. Yet, that doesn’t mean he’s the right fit for your business.

·         “Has Craig ever written for other accountants?” If the answer is “no,” it doesn’t mean he’s not a good fit. A content writer can learn a new niche. However, it might move Craig further down the list.

·         “Does Craig have client testimonials he could share?” If Craig has been in business for a while, he’ll have some client recommendations he’ll be able to pass along. If he’s new to content writing, he might not have built up client relationships yet. That isn’t a red flag—a new content writer might do a fantastic job. But it might be a sign to pause.

Don’t be afraid to ask these questions. Knowing, liking, and trusting someone is not the same as that person being an expert on what’s good for your business.

In the next blog, I’ll talk about the second component—service providers, and the questions you should ask to make sure they’re the right fit for your business.