Article: Becoming referable is a matter of earning, not asking.

Whether used to get your new job or a new client, professional references are more important than ever. Coworkers and clients move on to new positions and it is possible for you to loose touch with them. I’ve also noticed more people (including myself) do not provide written references any longer — partly out of concern for not being in control of how the information is used, and partly because some corporate policies do not permit written and oral referrals.

You might want to read this article by Jeffrey Gitomer: “Becoming referable is a matter of earning, not asking.”

(According to Jeffrey) Here are the elements that breed proactive referrals:

• Be likeable. This is the first prerequisite. Without a friendly relationship, there is no need to go further.
• Be reliable. The company, the product, the service, AND you, must be “best,” and “there when needed.”
• The customer considers you an expert in your field. To be referable, you must have an expertise that breeds customer confidence.
• They trust you. The customer is CERTAIN that you will do everything in the referred party’s best interest, like you have with theirs.
• You have a track record of performance. You have already done the same thing with the customer and they’re comfortable that you can repeat the performance.
• They consider you valuable – a resource, not a salesman.

Definitely check it out the full article.
-Roland