With the 25 years of experience I’ve had in this industry, I’m fortunate to receive referrals from accountants, industry super funds, mortgage brokers, and existing clients.
These partnerships allow me to work with a diverse client base – from young families starting their financial journey to professionals, SMSF trustees and retirees seeking security.
But how do you build and maintain these relationships so they thrive?
Understand each referral partner’s perspective
I find every referral source has unique priorities:
- Accountants focus on compliance, tax efficiency, and strategic planning.
- Mortgage brokers want smooth lending processes and client satisfaction, with someone that can educate and help make those big decisions.
- Industry super funds want strong member engagement and not being tied to a particular product provider so they understand you’re not there to rip their clients away.
- Clients value trust, transparency, and tailored advice. They want someone they introduce with pride and know friends and family will have a great experience.
My tips
I explain to new clients that I’m happy to work with their professional or introduce them to someone if they don’t have someone already. Having a good network of trusted professionals is a great way to ensure clients feel they can come to you for anything and everything.
When dealing with a client's existing partner, I like to start with a warm introduction from the client – it’s always important not to step on toes. I’ll provide a quick intro on what I do and ask for their thoughts, making it collaborative rather than trying to just tell them what I think. I like to position myself as complementary, not a competitor.
Accountants
Accountants are good with tax structures and generally know their clients quite well. We might discuss ownership structures and consider future opportunities, then explore how we can use those for investment purposes.
I always explain my role and the fact that I’m unable to provide specific tax advice, so working together can provide great outcomes for the clients.
Mortgage brokers
With mortgage brokers, I can leverage the fact that I worked closely with a large mortgage broking company for over 10 years. A great opportunity here is spending time with them and showing them the various strategies we use with clients to help build wealth or minimise tax over time.
I originally came into the broking world thinking insurance would be the fastest way in, as clients taking out a large amount of debt would be more open to cover. However, over time I’ve found brokers are more engaged and willing to introduce clients when you’re talking to them about their future.
Brokers are often asked questions about planning for the future, like, “Is buying an investment property a good way to set me up in the long term?”
Super funds
Looking back 15-20 years, there was a period when the concept of industry funds referring clients would have raised a few eyebrows. It’s commonplace now, though.
Ensuring your business model fits is the first part. This means things like flat fees over asset-based fees, the right AFSL – one that’s not pushing an SMA – and also ensuring you actually use and understand the funds’ products.
Over time, I’ve found these are all important considerations in this space. I don’t just use one product; my client base is spread across industry funds, wraps and SMSFs. Of course, having a few that you generally prefer for efficiency purposes makes sense.
Clients
The lion’s share of referrals comes from clients, though. I can’t say I have a specific strategy, other than to do everything I can to provide the clients with the best experience I can.
I’ve never asked clients directly, but I’m told they’re generally quite open to introducing friends and family when they get the question.
Regardless of the referral source, though, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open.
Communication and transparency
Clear, timely communication is critical:
- Share progress updates without breaching confidentiality.
- Explain your process so partners know what to expect.
- Be proactive – anticipate questions before they arise.
Referral partners need confidence that their clients are in safe hands. Transparency builds that trust.
Deliver consistent value
Your reputation is your currency. For me, I have to demonstrate:
- Technical expertise across wealth creation, insurance, retirement planning, and SMSF strategies.
- Client-centric outcomes: help clients achieve goals, not just buy products.
- Education: offer insights that partners can share with their clients. This is a big one – regular catch-ups with referral partners where you share recent strategies puts you front of mind during their meetings.
Compliance and professionalism
This one goes without saying, but ensuring clients and referral partners understand what happens behind the scenes helps with trust. Let them know how you:
- Maintain robust documentation.
- Stay current with ASIC and AFCA requirements.
- Protect client data and privacy.
Demonstrating these will help partners see you as a low-risk, high-value collaborator.
Build a nexus of trust
Being at the centre of these relationships means:
- Respecting boundaries: don’t poach clients or undermine partners. Ensure they know your process so they don’t have to worry about you making a mistake and referring onto someone else.
- Creating synergy: look for ways to integrate services – for example, joint webinars and shared resources. Explaining to clients that you work together (and then doing this with the referral partners) really helps demonstrate the benefits of continued partnership.
- Long-term mindset: focus on relationships, not transactions.
Some other important considerations include:
- Adaptability: Different clients need different strategies – young families, retirees and SMSF trustees all have different needs. Ensure whoever is referring to you understands who you can help and how.
- Cultural fit: Align with partners who share your values.
- Scalability: Ensure your systems can handle growth without compromising service quality.
In my experience, success isn’t about being the loudest voice; it’s about being the most trusted. When partners know you’ll protect their relationships and deliver exceptional outcomes, referrals become a natural extension of your practice.
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