Claude prompt for asking a client for a referral
Ask a happy client, partner or contact for a referral or an introduction, with a forwardable note that does the work for them. Free, no signup needed.
- Answer the starred questions
- Copy the prompt
- Paste it into Claude
Name, role or company. Optional unless you picked a specific person.
Format it for
Fill in the starred questions and your prompt appears here.
Paste it into Claude.
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How to use it in Claude
Open a new chat in Claude, paste the prompt, then paste anything the prompt asks for right below it.
The prompt is split into sections wrapped in simple tags like <task> and <rules>. Claude follows clearly separated instructions closely, so your rules don't get lost in the details.
If you've connected your email, calendar or other tools to Claude, choose "Let my AI look them up" and it can find the details itself.
Example: the finished prompt
For a sample company, Northside Supply. Yours uses your answers and your company profile.
Show the example promptHide the example
<context> My name: Sam Rivera My role: Sales manager My company: Northside Supply What we do: Commercial shelving and racking, installed in 2–3 weeks Who we sell to: Warehouses and distribution centers </context> <task> Write a message asking Dana Lopez at Harbor Foods, who is a happy customer, for an introduction to Marcus Lee, head of purchasing at Pinecrest. </task> <details> Why now: Just finished a great rollout together. The result we got for them: Install done in 12 days, no downtime Something I can offer back: Happy to intro them to our logistics partner </details> <rules> - Tone: friendly and warm, but professional. - Write like a real person in sales, not a marketer or a robot. - No filler openers such as "I hope this email finds you well" or "I wanted to reach out". - No buzzwords: avoid "leverage", "synergy", "circle back", "touch base", "unlock", "streamline", "game-changer". - Short sentences. Plain words. Get to the point in the first line. - My notes may be rough or have typos. Fix spelling and grammar, but keep my meaning. - Use only facts I give you, in this prompt or in anything I paste or point you to. If something important is missing, put a [placeholder] in brackets instead of making it up. - Thank them for something specific first, in one line. - Make the ask clear and small. Say exactly who or what you're hoping for. - Make it easy to say no. No pressure, no guilt. - Include a short note they can forward as is, under 60 words. - Under 120 words before the forwardable note. - Write the subject line in normal sentence case: a capital first letter and capitalized names and places. </rules> <output> - A subject line under 6 words. - The message. - The forwardable note, clearly marked. </output>
Why this prompt works
People are happy to refer you but rarely get around to it. This prompt makes the ask specific and small, and writes the intro for them.
- It opens with real thanks for something specific, not flattery.
- It names exactly who or what you're hoping for, which makes yes easy.
- It includes a note they can forward without rewriting.
Questions
- When is a good time to ask?
- Right after a win: a good result, a smooth rollout or a thank-you from them.
- Can I ask for a review instead?
- Yes. Pick "A review or testimonial" and it asks for that, with a link [placeholder].
- What if they don't know anyone?
- The message makes it easy to say no, so it doesn't hurt the relationship.
- Why does the Claude version use tags like <task>?
- Claude reads tagged sections very reliably, which keeps your rules separate from your notes. The words inside are the same as in the other versions.