Hey there, and welcome back to Empower Her Entrepreneur. It's Janice Boudreaux, and we're the show where women in business come to lead with confidence, grow with purpose, and build a business that feels so aligned, and of course, as it is profitable. So I'm your host, Janice. I am a former nurse, turned CEO, business mentor, and the founder of AFCN Learning Institute, which is our newest entity from Advanced Footcare Nurse and Wellness Center that I started about 14 years ago and we started educating, and now we've grown to have our own education division. Um, I'm definitely always looking to build bigger, build more, and offer more. As we grow, we become so successful in the areas, we generally just want to keep doing better. And we hope that that's why you're here too, is to learn from us some of the tricks of the trade, some of the things we've done. So I am a multi-business owner now and I'm here to help. So today we were gonna talk about one of the most common questions I get from entrepreneurs, especially in their first years of business. It is very common for me to get private messages, you're in my DMs, or you are sending an email. Here's the big question: how do I get my first 100 clients? Because as you know, when we're first starting out, it's that first 100. Once we get past that, all is good. We're on to our next um thing that we're gonna work on. We just have to get the first 100. So, and more importantly, how do I build a strong referral base that keeps my business growing without chasing every single lead? So let's get into it. Why referrals matter more than you think? Before we dive into the how, let's talk about why building a referral-based business, especially in healthcare, wellness, and really a service industry, is pure gold. Referrals aren't just free marketing anymore. They are not, they are basically pre-qualified. Someone trusted you enough to recommend you, they're high converting, referral clients often convert faster and will spend more, and they're loyal, they arrive already trusting you, so they they tend to stick around a lot longer. That's why referrals are so, so important. So here's a stat for you. According to Nielsen, people are four times more likely to buy when referred by a friend. Look at all the times in your life that if somebody has said something's good and they are a friend, they're a relative, how many more times are we more likely to take the chance? Think about that. You don't need flashy ads, you need trust, you need impact, and you need connection. If you're a service-based entrepreneur, especially in healthcare, aesthetics, food care, wellness, coaching, uh, let's be honest. Your reputation is your currency. And reputation builds your referral pipeline. Okay, so your first 100 clients, what you really need. When people ask me how I got my first hundred clients, I always say the same thing. One honest relationship at a time. I built my business with just me. As you know, I always said I had a bag of tools, I call it in my trunk. I started a mobile division, and from one trusted client at a time, I built my foot care empire. That one person might have told two people. And you know what? Maybe that referral doesn't even come right away. Maybe it comes so far down the pipeline, but in the end of the day, it will. They may refer you and talk about you even to their physician, to somebody who will get you a lot more business. There was really no magic funnel, no$10,000 marketing budget. I was very fortunate. Did I put marketing money? Yes, I did. But it wasn't magic. So I focused on these five things. Number one, delivering exceptional results. Before I worried about scaling, I made sure my services changed lives. Because people don't refer average, they refer transformation, they refer excellence. Be the provider, the expert, the coach, the clinician. They can't stop talking about. Spend those extra few moments. Stay within your allotted treatment time. I'm not saying, you know, if your treatment time is scheduled an hour, don't do two. You've got to have boundaries. But that hour should be spent utilizing healthcare teaching. Um, if you're a clinician, it could be so many different things that you're offering your client to make sure they're getting the whole wow factor. I knew how to use myself as a foot care nurse, all my burrs and tools that they, when they were done, and if whether it be a 30-minute, 45-hour appointment, they were like, holy smoly. Yeah, they were rebooked with me in no time, and they told 10, 10 of their friends at least. So, two, creating a wow client experience. From the first call to the clients to the follow-up, I made it feel personal. People remember how you make them feel. I added touches of care. I stayed within my nursing boundaries, but I made sure that that client experience was amazing. Again, the wow factor. Um, I'm almost thinking, sometimes I remember handwritten notes. I knew that if I was appreciative of them as a client, um, you know, especially for a new client coming on, sending them a handwritten thank you note for joining on to our foot care program, um, follow up with check-ins, which now could really be done with a lot of um AI, or if you're using some type of booking software, um, or you know what, a simple email if they have it. And especially, I did do the extras. I'm dealing with a much older generation, so um, the company would send out with our business name um cards if uh one of their loved ones had passed away. And I've even heard of companies they, you know, you're utilizing their birth date a lot for insurance, um, sending out the company birthday card. These are all great ideas. It's not even just old school, it's smart business. Three, making referrals easy. So don't assume the clients know how to refer. No, most don't. Tell them, show them, have a system in place. Referral cards. So, do you know that if any one of our clients refers somebody, they get half off their next visit. Once the referral is made and once they're booked in. I mean, how awesome is that? And they're just a small business card, um, shareable social posts, ask for it. So many times we don't, it's just a simple ask and it's done. So if you've made a shareable post, or maybe you want to send a mail chimbo to your clients, and that's a really great way. You can also put referral links. If you are sending them an automated message, a reminder about their appointment, have a referral link in there so they can send it to a friend. And you know what? Like I said, a quick script or email template that you could really personalize, sound upbeat, and send it out and say, here, here's our um referral offer is a great way. Hey Sarah, if you know someone who'd love what we do, feel free to send them this link. I'd love to support them. Well, that makes it very natural and not salesy. Because if Sarah wants to do that, your client, that's fabulous. And you just gave her away. You made referrals easy. Number four, tapping into community connectors. So every city or town or niche has connectors, people who know everyone and love to share. Think, fellow nurses, educators, local business owners, and even those influencers in your niche. Build relationships with them, offer value, collaborate. These folks can send you 10 clients in one conversation. You know who those people are. Line them up, get them in your feed, get them in your circle, and get them in your group. This is one of the biggest things. Do you know what? In all of Windsor Essex County, there are many seniors groups that get together, sorry, people who service seniors. And what one of the things I know is that they only take one type of business to the group. So example, I'm foot care, so there's only one foot care. I made sure to join every group in Windsor, Essex, and Chatham-Kent County so that where my foot care business is first and foremost and is seen. We are part of the chambers of commerce. We are part of all the seniors groups, we attend all the fairs, we have tapped into every market. Why? Because I am competitive. And anybody knows me, I'm super competitive. Is there enough feet to go around? Yep, too bad. We want them all in our area, and we don't stop. Obviously, my company has grown to excessive lengths now. So we do a lot of marketing, a lot of money, a lot of paid ads. But back in the day, that's how I started. So hopefully you're not in my area, because good luck to you. But if you are in a different area, these are really good. Grab them, grab those groups, be a part of them, make those community connectors, build relationships with them, offer value, collaborate. I'm telling you, these are so important. And number five, very important, following up like a CEO. And no, this doesn't mean never, it often means not yet. Keep a follow-up list, check in, stay top of mind. Some of my earliest clients came back months later and referred others because I stayed consistent. Because I am a person who follows up like a CEO. I built it like a CEO. Okay, so next, the referral mindset shift. This is important. Now let's pause. Most people think getting referrals about asking more, but really it's about deserving them. Ask yourself, did I truly deliver something worth sharing? Did I follow up with gratitude? Did I make it easy and clear how someone can refer me refer me? And here's something I tell my clients all the time: don't wait to feel ready to ask for referrals. Start now. Even if you only have three clients, you're planting seeds. And also don't forget about referring out. Be a connector yourself. People remember the entrepreneur who said, I know someone who can help you with that. Build your own referral karma. You know how many people you can help to build their businesses while they can help to build yours. It is an absolute mindset. So, what are the systems that scale your referrals? Okay, let's get into the CEO systems, everybody. If you want referrals to grow without chasing, you need a few key things in place. One, a client testimonial system. Write after a great result, ask for a testimonial, make it easy, offer a form, use those testimonials everywhere. Your websites, socials, proposals, making sure always, always to get consent. Do not pressure them. Make sure it's a great opportunity with a great client and it's going to work for both of you. Two, referral incentive program. Optional but powerful. This can be as simple as refer a friend and you both get 10% off your next service. We do half off. We feel very grateful. Keep it compliant if you're in healthcare, but creative incentives still work. Three monthly email check-ins. Send a monthly newsletter or email. Remind past clients what you do. Share a win or a client success story. Include a line like, know someone who needs this. Hit reply. I'd love to connect. Number four, track your referrals. Uh, have a spreadsheet, or if I don't know if you have a CRM that shows you, but who referred whom? When the value of that client, did you follow up with a thank you? That's the most important. For us, we definitely have such a large service area, but all the physicians in our area and clinics, and we're constantly giving them thank yous and praise. We truly enjoy what they're sending us. Let's get back to another mindset check. Remember this: you deserve to grow. Listen, getting 100 clients isn't about luck. It's not about going viral, it's about consistency, competence, and care. You already have what it takes. You just need to own your value, be visible, serve deeply, everyone. And ask because people want to help, but they need direction. Stop telling yourself it's pushy to talk about what you offer. It's service, it's support, it's impact. And when you're doing work that changes lives, why would you hide that? So here is some CEO homework for everybody. This week's action steps. So ready? Here are three things to do after this episode. I want you to write a follow-up email to your past 10 clients. Thank them. Share what you're offering. Tell them that you welcome referrals. Then I want you to create a referral toolkit. This can be a digital flyer, a Canva graphic, a simple landing page. Make it easy for someone to send people your way. Reach out to one community connector. Think clinic, school, gym, business. Start that conversation. Plant the seed, ladies. Anyway, thank you for tuning in to this episode of Empower Her Entrepreneur. And if you love this, share it with another businesswoman building her legacy, one client, one referral, one bold move at a time. And hey, if you were referred to this podcast, that just proves the power of a great connection. Until next time, keep showing up, keep serving, and never forget you were made for this.