Let them know that you are establishing a referral group and that they were one of the first people to enter them mind because of their great reputation.   Ask them to educate you on exactly what they do. Tit for tat. No favors, no begging, no debt, no smiley-facing, just a clean, fair, intriguing and powerful approach.   Have monthly lunches when your group can get together and then perhaps visit one of the group members businesses to allow them to explain what they do. Find ways to serve your group members and educated them on how to grow their own businesses. You can begin to grow your network slowly and invite other people who you or other members would feel good about recommending. Its just a matter of expanding your network to tap into the network of other professionals. Simple, doable, easy, no selling required, just honesty.   Here are the steps to maximizing your referrals and revenue:   1. Appoint yourself as the host of this network. In other words, be their leader. (No need to tell them, however.)   2. So, now that you are the leader, ask yourself, "What do my constituents need most that I can provide for them at a very small cost to myself?" The answer? Training in how to build their businesses via referrals.   3. Send a monthly note and update your group about each others business. You need to be consistent with this mailing (or emailing) each month. In effect, the monthly list / email also works as an effective reminder that you are there!   I have a friend in the financial services industry who sponsors a monthly luncheon. Members pay a quarterly fee, which covers the cost of the lunch. He gets 50 to 100 people at his meetings and has literally stopped his advertising efforts all together.   A Caution About Giving Referral Fees   Use a referral fee as your last-ditch strategy. Money has never bred loyalty. Friendship, trust, and a positive relationship are what drive loyalty to you and your business. If you give referral fees you will undoubtedly run into a situation in which the referrer claims he gave you a referral and you disagree.   Or one of your competitors starts giving referral fees and you feel the need to continually match them, causing a referral fee war (Ive seen it happen). Another embarrassing situation is when your customer finds out that a referral fee changed hands, which breaks the trust and confidence the relationship.   It just seems that whenever money enters into the equation and there is no surefire way to track it, trouble is on its way. Ive seen too many good relationships go sour because of a referral fee dispute. It breeds everything you dont want in a trusting relationship.