And yet… And yet.

So here's my Public Service Announcement about referrals: You gotta ask! You know it and I know it, but you haven't been in the habit, so where do you start? I think it's a good idea to start with one thing that will help you see almost immediate results. I call this the “sorta” referral because it doesn't require you to ask for a referral directly and it takes virtually no work. Every time you write an applicant, you ask if you're covering their spouse. Next time they say yes, ask, “And where do they work? What do they do there?” Let the employee know that you may be contacting their spouse's employer.

Now you go to the spouse's work and say, “We recently offered these benefits at ABC Company. I met Lizzie's husband over there. I don't think you guys offer the benefits here, so I'm hoping we can talk about what we did for them.”

You're not simply talking about what you've done for “other employers in the area.” You're talking about the place where Lizzie's husband works. And they love Lizzie here, so they're more inclined to give you a minute.

Start your referral habit with this baby step, and see where that leads. In future columns we'll talk about direct referrals that actually require work. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to call my doctor because I'm experiencing worsening of mood and a sudden decrease or worsening in hearing or vision.