You probably have realized that word-of-mouth can be a very strong marketing tool. Most self-employed professionals know that referrals can be a great building block. But you may think that building enough word-of-mouth to generate a substantial amount of business is a dream. It isn't.

You can count on some referrals from your existing clients and your friends and relatives. But did you know that you can get referrals from people outside of your circle as well?

All you have to do is increase the size of your circle to include more people. In order to to get referrals, people need to like you and trust you. They are putting their reputations on the line by sending clients your way. In order to gain that type of trust, they need to know you.

Wouldn't you love to have 100 people who were willing to send you clients? What if they put them in touch with you on a daily basis? That would be great. But 100 people? Where would you find them?

It isn't as hard as you might think. One of the keys is to find people whose own work puts them in touch with your potential clients every day.

Start with your current clients. Remember that in every experience they have with you is a marketing opportunity. The majority of my work comes through referrals. Yes, I do actively market my business in other ways, but referrals list right on top. One of the benefits of referrals is that most clients that are referred are ready to do business. There is very little selling to do.

Next move on to networking. You can sit down and identify a list of people in your area that are likely to be strong referral sources. Look for people that are in touch with clients that you would desire on a daily basis. For example, a marketing consultant who works with small start-up businesses might choose accountants, attorneys, bankers and the local chamber of commerce. Office supply vendors, graphic designers and printers may also be key contacts to get to know.

The idea is to make the acquaintance of ten people in each occupation. Seek them out and take them out for lunch. Let them know about your expertise, your business and the services you offer. Find out more about what they do and the types of clients they serve. If they refer you business, you want to do the same for them.

If you can define your business, you can identify those that will serve it. If you have trouble identifying other occupations, ask your current clients who else they currently do business with.

Having a specific goals (such as 100 referral partners) will help you focus your networking. When you meet people, decide if they should be a part of your plan. When you meet someone in an occupation on your list simply ask them if you can get together and talk about referring clients to each other.

Get referrals to fill your list from those around you. If you are looking for accountants, ask for referrals from your clients, colleagues and friends. When you find that you can't make enough connections through your existing contacts, simply look them up. You will find that most people are willing to meet with you -- they too are looking to network.

Regardless of how you first get in touch, sometimes it just won't work. Don't worry about it too much -- you don't want half-hearted referrals anyway. Just move on.

Remember, neither side is promising to send clients, you are simply expanding your circles to increase the likelihood of that happening. You will probably find that you too are making more referrals during the process.

The key is to be simple and organized. Just go right down your list. If you need to add more occupations or names, just add them to the bottom. Then keep working on meeting with new contacts.

Once you have 100 names, your work isn't over. You need to change from getting acquainted to following up. You need to maintain your contacts. Make this a habit. Meet with someone at least once a week. The goal is to stay in touch with everyone on your list at least once per quarter. You can fit this into your busy schedule in many ways. Take them to lunch, go for a walk in the park, invite them to a business or social function.

Over time, your list will change. Some people will fall off. Not everyone is going to be an excellent referral source. You can always add more names as you need them. However, you may find that you are plenty busy without adding any new referral partners. Word-of-mouth can be a strong marketing tool. But you have to implement it wisely to really benefit from it.