The Referral System Everyone Gets Wrong

Most professionals think referrals happen when you ask for them. "If you know anyone who needs training, please think of me." Generic, forgettable, and completely ineffective.
The best referrals I've received came from clients who didn't even know they were making referrals. They were just talking to colleagues about a problem they'd solved, mentioned working with someone who helped them, and the conversation naturally led to an introduction.
This happens when you've actually solved someone's problem, not just delivered a service. There's a massive difference between those two things, and most professionals never figure it out.
I worked with a plumbing contractor in Darwin who understood this instinctively. He didn't just fix blocked drains - he explained what caused the problem and how to prevent it happening again. His customers became walking advertisements because they felt smarter after working with him.