Building a Referral Network: 6 Mistakes to Avoid

Everyone needs a team.

As a health coach, you can become an expert in multiple areas: nutrition, behavior change psychology, fitness and athletic performance, stress management and recovery, and more.

However, no matter how many certifications you earn, you will invariably encounter clients with problems that will block your progress and that you do not have the skills, training, experience or legal right to resolve.

Here’s the thing…

You I may not be an expert in fixing marriages, treating GERD, or counseling someone with an eating disorder, but someone else is.

This is where a healthy referral network comes into play.

By connecting your client to that person, you will be able to stay within your scope of practice and provide welcome business to respected colleagues. and Help your customer solve their problem.

(Total. Supertrainer. Movement.)

All of our certification programs include sections dedicated to teaching coaches how to build strong referral networks of professionals trained to solve common client problems.

In this article, we will discuss how to do this by exploring the main errors We see coaches make mistakes. Avoid them and you’ll be able to refer with confidence.

First, what is a referral network?

A referral network is a list of complementary professionals, companies and resources that benefit clients.

Your network may include: local or virtual:

• Physicians, psychologists, registered dietitians, and other professionals with the training and credentials to help clients with issues outside their scope of practice. (For an in-depth update, see our Scope of Practice Worksheet.)
• Personal trainers and health coaches who have extensive knowledge in an area outside their own (for example, a client may be interested in learning yoga, but you have no idea how to do a sun salutation).
• Workshops, fitness groups, webinars, food services and other resources that support clients on their journey to behavior change.

In order to confidently refer clients to qualified professionals with an excellent reputation, some groundwork needs to be done. That brings us to the key mistakes to avoid.

Mistake #1: You build your network before launching your business

For newly certified health coaches, the task of “building a referral network” can function as a procrastination tool, says PN Community Engagement Director Kate Solovieva.

Rather than accepting clients, these coaches are increasingly seeking out professionals and striving to be prepared for any potential referral situation. However, no matter how hard they keep working on it, their list is never “complete.”

This is because…

“We can’t be prepared for everything,” says Solovieva.

The solution

Accept clients as soon as you are certified.

Yes! It may sound scary, but the best way to identify your “gaps” is to start your practice and see what areas your clients really need help with beyond what you can offer.

Add people to your referral network over time as you:

• Connect with professionals on LinkedIn and other virtual networking sites
• Lean on peer networks (like Precision Nutrition’s Facebook communities)
• Mingle with members of your local Chamber of Commerce
• Chat with family, friends and clients about the professionals and resources they love.
• Attend health conventions and other local events where a variety of health professionals tend to congregate.
• Find (and test!) providers based on your own health needs

Mistake #2: You assume your reference list will cover all customer needs.

As we mentioned above, you can never anticipate every referral or customer question ahead of time, and that’s okay.

This is especially true if you train virtually with clients from all over the world.

(You may know three fantastic massage therapists where you live in Toronto, Canada, but that knowledge won’t help you if your client lives in Wellington, New Zealand.)

Similarly, some professionals or resources may work for some clients, but not for others.

(You may know, for example, of several meal delivery options, but none are suitable for that customer who follows a plant-based, strictly gluten-free diet.)

The solution

Learn how to help clients find the professionals and resources they need.

You could:

• Ask your clients to describe their preferences (Do they prefer to work with a specific gender? Do they like to meet in person or online? Do they like the enthusiasm and creativity of a newer professional or the wisdom of a more experienced professional who says “I’ve seen it all”?)
• Dedicate a coaching session to searching online for potential professionals and services together.
• Encourage customers to contact three professionals, ask questions, and use what they learn to choose a winner.

Mistake #3: Letting social awkwardness derail networking opportunities.

Approaching a stranger takes courage. You have to put yourself out there, explain who you are and why, and risk being ignored or rejected.

This is where many coaches get stuck, says Toni Bauer, PN’s Director of Training Operations and Education.

As a result, many coaches may put off the conversation.

The solution

Turn networking into a challenge. Coach Solovieva calls it “Operation 100.”

• Set a goal of contacting 100 professionals in 12 months.
• Work toward your goal each week for about 20 minutes.
• Follow up with every person who doesn’t respond once or twice.
• Instead of expecting a “yes” from every person you reach out to, understand that only about 10 percent of people will respond to you.

To make the challenge easier, it’s best to write a presentation speech, Bauer suggests.

Don’t overthink this. Your speech doesn’t have to be a multi-page persuasive essay, nor does it have to contain magical talking points. Just be yourself.

Mistake #4: You use outdated persuasion tactics.

If you use LinkedIn, you’ve probably fallen victim to old-school cold-sales tactics. We’re talking about direct messages from strangers who clearly haven’t read any of your profile and don’t know anything about you.

These spam messages are about as welcome as a stranger who approaches you in a bar and says, «So, do you want to come back to my place?»

We’re not here to discourage you from using cold outreach. It has its place. However, to increase your response rate, we’d like to introduce you to a technique that’s rarely used.

The solution

Get to know people before you ask a question onlinesuggests coach Solovieva.

Follow them, read their content, download and consume their free resources, comment on their posts, congratulate them on their professional achievements and be a part of their online life.

Do that, And people will remember you. More people will respond to your messages, too. Plus, the information you gain from building a relationship will help you avoid…

Mistake #5: You don’t personally check references.

How can you ensure you are referring your clients to compassionate professionals who really know what they are doing?

It involves much more than checking someone’s website or social media profile.

If you just look at someone’s website or social media posts, “you’re only assessing their confidence and copywriting skills,” Solovieva says. “If we’re lucky, confidence and copywriting go hand in hand with skill, but not always.”

The solution

Try out their services. Take a yoga or Zumba class. Book a massage. Have a medical professional check out your creaking knee.

This way you can see the professional in action.

If you’re thinking, «I don’t need some of the services my clients need!», you have a couple of options:

• Offer to pay a professional to meet with you for 30 to 60 minutes so you can ask a few questions, get a sense of their treatment philosophy, and discuss the possibility of referring clients to them.
• Interact with people on local social media communities like NextDoor.com. Ask group members if they have visited a doctor and, if so, if they would recommend one.

Mistake #6: You overemphasize your references to clients.

When you recommend a professional that you have personally evaluated, it is natural to want your client to take action.

However, despite their hard work, some clients simply won’t make an appointment with the professional in question, and that’s okay.

“Let your clients be adults,” says Coach Bauer.

Clients have their reasons. Maybe their insurance doesn’t cover the service in question. Or maybe they decided to consult someone else.

“It’s not your responsibility to make relationships perfect or flourish,” Bauer says.

A cycle of support

Some coaches fear referrals because they see them as a form of “giving away business.”

In reality, however, when you refer your clients to solid professionals, they simply feel that you have their back. (Which means They will do it More likely to recommend to friends and family you.)

Also, when you send business to another respected colleague, you also put you on your radar for cross-reference.

It’s good for your clients, good for your business, and good for your community of healthcare professionals at large.

If you are a coach, or want to be one…

You can help people build sustainable nutrition and lifestyle habits that will significantly improve your physical and mental health, while you make money doing what you love. We’ll show you how.

If you would like to learn more, consider the Nutritional Coaching Certification Level 1 PN.