The trouble is that most marketers go after new business wrong way. They want to "take down" new piece of business using all tools of trade from advertising and direct mail to cold calling and event marketing. This is an expensive way to drum up business. Your existing clients are just waiting to tell you about people they know who could use your services, and then help sell you in to these people they refer. Not only is this more cost effective, it practically guarantees prospects will share same characteristics of your best customers.

"OK, Harry," you're asking, "but how do I do it?"

The first rule of getting referrals: ask. When should you ask? Let's review.

- After your customer has purchased something from you is a great time to ask. The new customer is pumped up about your offering and you can harness that energy by asking for names of others who could beneft from doing business with you.

- Upon delivery of your product or service is next time to ask. The benefits of your offering should be readily apparent now, so you can remind customer of importance of their referrals.

According to IEG Sponsorship Report, this category grew to $733 million in US in 2001. There are a number of reasons for that growth. A Cone Communications survey found that: - 80 percent of Americans have a more positive image of companies that support a cause they care about - nearly two-thirds of Americans say they would likely switch brands or retailers to one associated with a good cause - more than half said they would pay more for a cause marketer’s products or services - 87 percent of employees at organizations with a cause marketing program feel a strong sense of loyalty to their company as opposed to 67 percent of those at companies that do not support causes

As you can see, adopting good causes can be beneficial, but your company’s involvement should be planned just as you plan any other business activity. Here are five steps to developing an effective cause marketing program.

Choose Your Cause Strategically. Search for a single charitable cause that you and your employees can believe in, as well as one that helps advance your business objectives. For instance, a company may choose an educational cause to ensure it has a continuing pool of well-educated workers. Many companies seek issues that align with their products, services or geographic service area. Others look for issues that resonate with niche audiences or that differentiate them in marketplace. You may want to consider choosing an emerging issue. This way, your company will be a pioneer rather than just another in a list of companies.