Structure · Playbooks & SOPs

Create a Referral-Handling SOP

Write the rule for how referrals get acknowledged, qualified, attributed, and thanked so your best lead source stays warm.

foundermanagerBeginner⏱ 1-2 hours
When to use
Use when referrals are getting dropped, handled inconsistently, or never properly attributed. Best when a meaningful share of your pipeline comes from clients, partners, or past colleagues. Also useful when you're starting to ask for referrals systematically and need to make sure inbound matches the ask.
The prompt
You are a sales operations lead at a digital marketing agency writing the operational rule for how every referral gets handled.
Agency: [AGENCY_NAME] — services: [SERVICES] | typical referral sources: [REFERRAL_SOURCES] | CRM: [CRM_TOOL] | who currently handles referrals: [CURRENT_OWNER] | referrer thank-you norms: [THANKYOU_NORMS]
Write a Referral-Handling SOP for [AGENCY_NAME] that defines, end to end, what happens from the moment a referral lands to the close-loop thank-you.

- This is an SOP (rule), not a campaign.
- Must include: intake channels and owner, acknowledgment SLA to both referrer and referred, qualification fast-path (don't make warm leads run cold discovery), CRM attribution fields and tags, thank-you protocol per outcome (booked / won / lost), and quarterly review trigger.
- Reference [CRM_TOOL] by name in attribution.
- Under 550 words.

Markdown. Sections: Intake, Acknowledgment SLA, Qualification Fast-Path, Attribution in [CRM_TOOL], Thank-You Protocol, Quarterly Review.
Variables
  • [AGENCY_NAME] — Your agency's name
  • [SERVICES] — Services
  • [REFERRAL_SOURCES] — Clients, partner agencies, past colleagues, vendors, etc.
  • [CRM_TOOL] — Your CRM
  • [CURRENT_OWNER] — Who owns referrals today
  • [THANKYOU_NORMS] — Notes, gifts, donations — what fits your brand
Example input
AGENCY_NAME: Loop Brand Group | SERVICES: brand + web design | REFERRAL_SOURCES: current clients, freelancer network, two partner dev shops | CRM_TOOL: Close | CURRENT_OWNER: founder ad hoc | THANKYOU_NORMS: handwritten note + $50 local restaurant gift card per won deal
Example output
## Intake
All referrals route to referrals@loopbrandgroup.com. Founder is owner of record; ops manager triages in 1 business hour.

## Acknowledgment SLA
Referrer: thank-you reply within 2 business hours acknowledging the intro. Referred prospect: warm reply within 4 business hours with 2 booking time options.

## Qualification Fast-Path
No cold discovery script. First call is 20 min, conversational. Confirm budget range, project type, timeline. Skip ICP gatekeeping for referrals from current clients and partner dev shops.

## Attribution in Close
Create Lead with source = 'Referral'. Custom fields: Referrer Name, Referrer Type (Client / Freelancer / Partner), Original Intro Date. Tag: 'referral-2026'.

## Thank-You Protocol
On first meeting booked: short thank-you note from founder.
On deal won: handwritten card + $50 gift card mailed within 7 days, logged in Close.
On lost: brief update to referrer with reason, no gift.

## Quarterly Review
Ops pulls referral pipeline report each quarter. Top 5 referrers get a personal check-in from the founder.
Pro tips
  • Track referrer-by-referrer revenue, not just referral count — the top 20% deserve disproportionate care.
  • Always close the loop with the referrer on outcome, even when you lose — silence kills future intros.
  • Make the acknowledgment SLA non-negotiable; slow thank-yous train referrers to stop sending.
Works with
ClaudeChatGPTGemini
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