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Word-of-mouth is an important way to get new business—whether you’re just starting out or have an established roster of customers. Referrals are one of the most effective ways of getting new business, because a customer who’s been referred to you is most likely to trust you—they heard good things about you from someone else they trust. A referral that results in new business might seem like a stroke of good luck—but there are a lot of specific things you can do to boost referrals, and this can be one of the most important parts of an insurance agent’s marketing plan. Here are a few ideas.

Provide great service. You’re probably doing this anyway—but a surefire way to get referrals is to stand out in terms of service. Spend a few minutes every day brainstorming about how you can make life better for your customers. Send periodic emails to let them know when there’s an opportunity for them to save money on their insurance, for instance, or offer free webinars or consultations to answer their questions. Be a font of information and goodwill, and your customers will notice.

Come right out and ask. Customers may not know you want referrals—or it might not occur to them until you mention it. You can ask in person—but you can also ask by advertising that you’re always looking for referrals on your social media platforms. If you have an incentive program for referrals, advertise it on all your social media platforms and make sure your customers know about it.

Provide an incentive. A lot of business owners provide discounts for customers who offer referrals. As an insurance agent, you won’t have any control over how much your insurance products cost—but you can incentivize your referrals in other ways. One way is to form partnerships with businesses in your area—restaurants, hotels, theatres, and other local businesses. Give the customer a discount to your partner business when they get you a referral. It’s a win for the partner business, too—they get a new customer as well.

Stay top-of-mind for your customers. Maintaining a well-tended social media platform, sending out periodic emails, and other forms of consistent contact are all great ways to keep your customers thinking of you. Overt ways to generate referrals—such as asking outright or publicizing an incentive strategy—are a good method, but more passive ways can be effective as well.

Be sure your customers know what you do. Do your home and auto insurance customers know you also do commercial insurance? They should. Your marketing should be targeted, but not so targeted that you could miss a cross-referral opportunity from a customer.

Always thank customers for referrals. A hand-written thank-you note or card can go a long way—or a small gift, especially if the referral led to a lot of business. Be sure your customers know you appreciate their support.

You can generate more referrals if you’re consistent and strategic about it. Be sure to ask, but also design a program that tracks and gives back to customers who give you referrals. Show your appreciation to customers in many ways—from thanking them for referrals to providing excellent customer service. If you do, you’re likely to see the number of referrals increase over time.