4 builders who never spoke to each other

Thank the people who sent them, by name

Check which sites and newsletters actually sent you subscribers and write to each one personally, amplify any public mention in front of your own audience, and send the reviewer a package. A researched gift lands harder than cash because it proves you paid attention. Naming what you did with somebody's advice, a few people a month, keeps the relationship alive without asking for anything.

The method

1. 01

   Check your analytics for which sites and newsletters sent you subscribers, then email each referrer personally to thank them, and send a personal note to new subscribers whose names you recognise.

2. 02

   When a customer mentions you publicly, amplify it hard and thank them in front of your own audience, which encourages them to keep sharing.

3. 03

   Watch for good public reviews and ratings, then message the reviewer offering to post them a thank-you package.

4. 04

   Each month, send three to five people who influenced you a short note naming exactly what you did with their advice.

5. 05

   Reward a referral with a researched gift rather than cash, working out what they would want from what they post publicly.

What it returned

• 40,000

  Rob Walling posted about Podscan finding mentions of his name to his roughly 40,000 Twitter followers

• $1,000

  Austin was paid $1,000 on a $10,000 project he referred out. He now sends gifts instead: hunting gear and then Belgian beer to a client who had sent him over $11,000 of new business, and a massage and babysitting voucher to a client worth around $200,000 over three years.

• Chenell Basilio uses Google Analytics to identify referrers and thanks them by email. Those relationships turned into partnerships, cross-promotions and podcast invitations.

Sources

• The Ultimate Guide to Building Client Relationships - Double Your FreelancingAustin Church · doubleyourfreelancing.com · Give your clients the perfect gift. · 2016-09-12
• How to surprise people in a digital ageJustin Jackson · justinjackson.ca · Ideas · undated
• How to Sell Yourself (without being salesy)Justin Welsh · justinwelsh.me · Principle 5: Affection · 2023-07-01
• Friday Feature: Growth In ReverseChenell Basilio · sparkloop.app · 🙋How Growth In Reverse does it · undated
• Balancing Multiple ICPs: Strategies for Solo FoundersArvid Kahl · thebootstrappedfounder.com · Different Marketing for Different Groups · 2025-09-19