by Guest Blogger, Lena West, Chief Social Media Strategist at xynoMedia Technology

Maybe it's just me. Perhaps I'm totally old-fashioned. I mean, I thought I was still a little with it...

In the past few months, I have referred some very substantial projects to a couple of business colleagues - all qualified women (you know, keeping it in the fam). And, we all know how I feel about referrals, right?

Anyway, I make the referrals with no expectations or agreements for finder's fees or anything...just solidarity...one business woman making a referral to another business woman.

Time rolls on and I don't hear from either of the people to whom I made the referrals. Meanwhile, I know that my contact has reached out to them and the liklihood that they'll do business is quite high - warm referrals are usually great this way; it's almost like guaranteed business. Yet, no email or call to thank me for the referral.

Is it just me or have we shifted into a time where we don't have to thank someone for a referral? Is business during a supposed "recession" really so good that we don't have to thank our referral sources? What have I missed? Are we so busy Twittering that we can't be bothered to take 30 seconds to thank each other?

And, believe me, this ALL relates to your marketing. If it is routine for you to not thank your referral sources, they will probably:

1. Never refer business to you again (a marketing nightmare!)
2. Correctly think that how you do anything is how you do everything and assume that you don't have manners in other areas of business and life as well (a brand nightmare!)

When someone makes a referral to us, at the very least, someone from my team (usually me) reaches out immediately by phone or email to thank the referral source, let them know that their confidence and support is appreciated along with a promise to treat the referral like gold; and many times we send a hand-written thank you note -- WHETHER OR NOT THE REFERRAL ACTUALLY RESULTS IN BUSINESS.

My thought is, even if the referral doesn't convert into paid business:

1. Our way of doing business/our brand stayed in someone's mind long enough for them to make the referral. That should be rewarded at the very least with a thank you.
2. The referring party took the time out of their busy day to make the referral specifically to us. Yes, I realize that making a referral to a quality company makes the referring party look good, but still, they took the time.
3. There is one more company/decision-maker that knows about us, knows we exist and if they don't work with us today or tomorrow, it's just a matter of time before they do or before they make a referral of their own.
4. Good grief, saying thank you is just plain good manners!

Needless to say, these referral sources won't be getting any more referrals from me, but still...I think the lack of common courtesy these days is far removed from any actions that would be remotely considered business-like sucks.

Bottomline: I know my comments above might be a bit tongue-in-cheek, but seriously, have I lost it? Am I expecting some great shakes? Is our policy of sending an immediate thank you and/or hand-written note overkill? Or does business have to convert in order to warrant a thank you? How do you handle thanking/rewarding referral sources?

P.S. And smart companies are using technology - probably CRM software - to keep track of which people make referrals often so they can be rewarded even more and be added to your firms 'center of influence' list and nurtured. This is how REAL relationshsips start folks.

P.P.S. And, oh by the way, I'm leading the Social Media Hot Seat Lab at Marketing Prof's Business-to-Business Forum in June in Boston. If you're planning to attend, let's connect and here's a link to discounted registration. You still have time to save $350.