Podcast Summary: Roadmap to Referrals

Ep #390: Don't End the Year Without Doing This!

Host: Stacey Brown Randall
Date: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Stacey Brown Randall zeroes in on two critical, actionable steps for business owners as the year ends: acknowledge and thank your referral sources. Moving beyond good intentions and gratitude as a feeling, Stacey emphasizes making these actions practical to nurture your most valuable business asset—those who refer clients to you. Her signature approach continues to advocate for natural, authentic referral generation without asking, manipulating, or incentivizing.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Foundation: The Importance of Taking Care of Referral Sources

• Stacey recaps the reflection from the previous episode (the "gratitude effect") and presses on one fundamental question:

  “Do I believe it is the right thing to do to take care of the people, your referral sources, who take care of my business by sending me referrals?”
  [01:18]

• Emphasizes the need for belief and subsequent action, not just appreciation.

2. The Two Essential Year-End Actions

a. Step 1: Acknowledge Your Referral Sources

• Definition: Know exactly who has sent you referrals; not just potential, but actual referrers—recent and past.
• Actionable Advice:
  • Keep a list of all referral sources—write their names down.
  • Consider displaying this list visibly: on your wall, desk, or even as a screensaver.

  “You can’t acknowledge and think different and feel different and act different towards these people if you don’t know who they are. And that means you gotta write their names down.” [06:02]

  • Use your CRM, database, spreadsheet—whatever works best, but have it somewhere.
• Why it matters: Once their names are physically recorded and in front of you, your perspective shifts—enhancing appreciation and prompting intentionality.

  “When you know somebody who sent you a bunch of business, you just will think of them differently. Once you know for a fact these are who these people are, once you see their names written down or typed up, you’ll be like, oh, wow, I just feel different.” [09:19]

b. Step 2: Thank Your Referral Sources

• Primary Method:
  • Handwritten thank you notes:

    “A handwritten thank you note says I’m worth your time because it takes time to write them, and nobody does them.” [12:21]

• Alternatives:
  • If mail isn’t practical, send a personalized video—one video per referral source with their name and a direct message (not a bulk or generic mass-message).

    “Record individual videos to each of your referral sources. Very important. Thanking them, personalizing it by saying their name so they know it’s actually for them.” [14:34]

• Gifts:
  • Not required; notes or videos are meaningful and sufficient.
• Why it matters: It makes referral sources feel seen, valued, and differentiates you in a season saturated with generic cards and gifts.

3. Simplicity and Urgency

• Stacey reassures listeners this is not a long to-do list—just two essential steps, achievable with intention before the year closes.
• These are not transactional tactics for immediate referral results but foundational behaviors that ensure long-term, healthy referral relationships.

Memorable Quotes

• “End of the year is no time, no time, my friends, to ignore your business’s most valuable asset, your referral sources, the people who refer you.” [04:22]
• “I have full confidence in you. Full, full confidence in your ability to do this.” [03:16]
• “Taking the time to thank and acknowledge your business's biggest asset should be something we are always making time for. They are that important.” [17:49]

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• 00:04–01:50 – Recap of the gratitude effect and last week's guiding question.
• 02:10–03:50 – Setting expectations: two simple, high-impact actions for year-end.
• 04:22–11:02 – Why and how to acknowledge your referral sources.
• 12:21–16:50 – Practical how-to’s for thanking referral sources (notes and personalized videos).
• 17:10–18:20 – Empowerment and call to action: make the time for these two steps.
• 18:30–19:40 – Invitation to share your progress with Stacey and a gentle nudge to review her book.

Action Checklist

Before year-end, complete these two actions:

1. Acknowledge: Identify and write down all your actual referral sources (not just hopefuls) from this year and previous years.
2. Thank:
   • Send a handwritten thank you note to each, or
   • Record and send a personalized video message if a physical note isn't possible.
   • (Optional) A thoughtful gift can be included, but is not necessary.

Final Thoughts

Stacey wraps up by encouraging listeners not to let the busyness of December crowd out these foundational actions, essential for building a business that generates referrals naturally and consistently.

“Now you know what to do. Will you do it? Will you do two of these things? I know you can. Now I’m hoping you’ll tell me that you did.”
[17:59]

For transcripts, resources, and book links:
staceybrownrandall.com/390

Host’s Tone: Encouraging, practical, empathetic, and actionable.
Best For: Service professionals, consultants, or anyone serious about building an authentic referral-based business.