[tab name=’Guidelines’]

Guidelines : For Referral of Company

Thank You for Referral for Company

• Guidelines and Alternate Phrases
• Thank the reader for the referral and for confidence in you and/or your organization. Be specific enough to let the reader know you understand and appreciate the time and effort involved–and possibly even the risk of his or her reputation if the referral arrangement doesn’t work out.
• Thank you so much for giving our name to Wheaton and Blyble. I understand you had to phone several times to make contact with the right person–a frustration we’ve run into often. We admire your persistence.
• Thank you for your referral to Wheaton and Blyble. They phoned us immediately after they received your letter. Your effort in writing rather than phoning them gave our name “staying power” as they passed the letter through the offices of the executive staff.
• I appreciate your kind words to the Wheaton and Blyble representative last week at the convention. He said you spent almost half an hour with him explaining our methodologies and successes with your company. Such word-of-mouth is invaluable to us.
• We appreciate so much your bringing up our work in the Kencaid meeting last week. Several members at the dinner phoned as a result of your mention. A referral from someone as respected as you in the industry certainly carries a lot of weight.
• Thanks so much for passing along our name and phone number to Earl Hughes last week on your flight to New York. When Mr. Hughes phoned us later, he mentioned he had kept you from your paperwork for almost an hour as he pumped you for more information about our consulting work. Thank you so much for giving him such a splendid, detailed explanation.
• Thank you for referring your client, Wheaton and Blyble, to us for their software needs. On such occasions, we realize your own reputation is at stake in recommending clients to other vendors, and we don’t take that risk lightly. Thank you for your confidence in us.
• Elaborate on your expectations for the outcome of the referral. You want to reassure the reader that his or her effort was worthwhile and appropriate for both parties involved.
• Mr. Hughes seems ready to move forward at this point.
• We expect at least to get an opportunity to quote our prices for their consideration.
• They have assured us they definitely want to talk further about the possibilities of a long-term partnership.
• We have been able to schedule an appointment with their buyer.
• They’ve asked us to forward materials for consideration by their management committee.
• Your referral gained us the opportunity to submit a proposal for the project.
• Thanks to your efforts, Mr. Hughes has agreed to meet with us next Friday.
• Let the reader know you understand the time and effort involved.
• I understand you had to make three long-distance phone calls before you finally got to speak to the right person in referring our company. That’s persistence, and I thank you.
• Some of that time you spent I’m sure was after hours. Please know I appreciate your personal sacrifice in spending time away from your family on my behalf.
• Offer to reciprocate or express your goodwill in another way.
• Will you please let me know if I can ever return the favor?
• Please call on me to help you in some small way.
• Please keep my new work number and call on me whenever I can help you make contact with a prospective client.
• May I take you to lunch next Thursday as a very small token of my appreciation? I’ll phone you.
• I’ll be looking for an opportunity to return the favor.
• May I take you to dinner as a small token of my appreciation for the referral? How about Wednesday, August 6?
• You can be sure when we have opportunity to do so, we will suggest your firm to our clients in need of maintenance work.
• We’ve made our staff aware of your referral, and they are looking for ways to repay the favor.
• Let me know when I can reciprocate with a referral on your behalf to some of our member organizations.
• I’ll look forward to mentioning you and your firm on other occasions.
• We’re anxiously awaiting the opportunity to refer your own organization to our colleagues and clients and hope to do so soon.
• We plan to return the favor of a referral whenever an occasion arises.

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[tab name=’Example 1′]

Example 1: Referral thank you letters

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Dear Pete:

Thank you for taking the time to phone Mark Rhodes about products that can help him control his heat-shrinkage problems in the Lafayette plant. I know you’re extremely busy and on the road often, and I appreciate your effort to get in touch with him on our behalf.

We were able to schedule an appointment immediately and have already met with him about solving the problem. He seemed quite interested and has asked us to prepare a formal proposal and present it to his management staff in New Orleans next month.

It’s only through references for past work and new referrals that we survive in this business, so please accept my gratitude. We hope to provide such excellent service they will not be taking your name in vain for the referral! Thanks so much.

Cordially,
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[tab name=’Example 2′]

Example 2: Thank you letter for a referral

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State Zip

Joy,

Thank you so much for giving our name to Netmart in Philadelphia. Mr. Tom Sizemore from their marketing staff called this morning, expressing an interest in our services, and we plan to visit their headquarters next week to show them what we have to offer.

I realize you had a very hectic time simply following up on all the leads your trade-show booth turned up for your own company. With your own work load, to take the time to write Netmart suggesting they contact us was “above and beyond the call” of professional friendship.

Thanks so much. I’ll be looking for an opportunity to return the favor.

Cordially,
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[tab name=’Example 3′]

Example 3: Referral letters

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State, Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr. Peterson:

Thank you so much for the kind referral you gave to Wilmarth & Sons. Ian Wilmarth called us yesterday. He informed us you assured him we were the answer to his problems. We are flattered you could make such a strong case for a company in such a short period of time, and will do our best to live up to Mr. Wilmarth’s expectations.

We have studied a preliminary report on the situation and have already come up with three or four possible solutions. We will be able to refine these solutions after we meet with Mr. Wilmarth on Wednesday.

We appreciate you thinking of us when you were engaged in a casual conversation with a colleague. Please don’t hesitate to call if we can in any way return the favor.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 4′]

Example 4: Thank you for referral our company

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State, Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Ms. Boxlietner:

I have just received a call from Windswept Galleries asking for a viewing of my work Thursday at 1:00 p.m. for a possible showing. Ms. Chin from the gallery said you had spoken very highly of my recent paintings. I realize what it means for a respected critic like yourself to call the gallery and endorse an unknown like me.

I realize this opportunity is due solely to the time you spared from your hectic schedule to call Ms. Chin on my behalf. As a small thank you for this chance, I would like you to have “Mariana’s Dream.” You mentioned at my coffeehouse show it would be perfect in your apartment. I would be pleased if you would accept it.

Sincerely,
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[tab name=’Example 5′]

Example 5: Referral of Company

Company Name or Letterhead
Address
City, State, Zip

Date

Addressee
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Ms. Palmer:

Thank you for your kind referral of our accounting agency to Mr. William Blount. Mr. Blount phoned yesterday and said he had spoken to you at length during a recent business meeting. In fact, he said you spent most of the lunch answering question after question concerning our agency. This would explain how he knew so much about our services before we had the chance to explain them!

We will be meeting with Mr. Blount for a more detailed discussion on Wednesday of next week to formally offer him our services and review our rates. While nothing has been set in stone, we feel quite optimistic about our chance of retaining his account.

We are well aware without the time you spent endorsing our services we would not have this opportunity. If there is anything we can do to repay you in kind, please do not hesitate to call us.

Sincerely,
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