The Secret to Getting Daily Referrals (Without Feeling Salesy)

Workshop with Jeff Bitton, Founder of Pitch 59 | Hosted by Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship

If referrals are the most powerful source of business growth, why do they often feel like the hardest to get? In this energetic and practical session hosted by Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship (WTE), Jeff Bitton, founder of Pitch 59, breaks down exactly why most referral strategies fail, and what to do instead.

This workshop is for anyone who wants to:

• Get more qualified leads without cold outreach
• Make it easy (and fun) for others to refer them
• Build a system that creates warm intros every day

Prefer to watch instead?

🎥 Watch the full workshop here: The Secret to Getting Daily Referrals

Want to start getting more referrals right away?
🎁 Create your Pitch 59 card and get 20% off with our WTE link
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Why Referrals Don’t Happen — Even When People Love You

Jeff starts the session with a question: “How many of you have been told, ‘I’ll introduce you to someone!’... and then the intro never happens?”

You’re not alone. Research shows that 91% of customers say they’re willing to make a referral — but only 11% actually do.

The 5 Reasons People Don’t Refer You:

Amy shared a walkthrough of the 12 slides investors expect to see, why each one matters, and how to customize them to your business. Below are the key highlights and pro tips:

1. Inaction - AKA you don’t ask.

You’re simply not asking. Many business owners assume referrals will happen organically, but if you’re not making clear, consistent asks—people won’t take the initiative.

2. Reputation - It puts their reputation on the line.

People only share things that make them look good — so generic or confusing asks fall flat.

3. Uncertainty - They don’t know how to introduce you.

If they can’t confidently explain what you do or how you help, they’ll avoid referring altogether.

4. Lack of Incentive - There's no clear goal.

There’s no clear motivation. Without emotional buy-in or a tangible reason to act, your ask may fall to the bottom of their to-do list.

5. Difficulty - You haven't made it easy for them to refer you.

It’s just too hard or time-consuming. If the process of referring you requires typing out a custom intro, remembering your services, or following multiple steps, it’s unlikely to happen — even from your biggest fans.

How to Get Referrals: A System You Can Actually Stick With

Referrals shouldn’t feel like a mystery, a fluke, or a favor you have to awkwardly ask for. In this session, Jeff Bitton shared a step-by-step method that any business owner can implement. Jeff’s referral system is based on years of growing his own companies and building Pitch 59 to solve this exact problem.

Step 1: Set a Referral Goal

• Set a specific goal (e.g., 60 referrals this year = 5 per month)
  
  
• Break it down by month so it feels actionable
  
  
• Tie it to revenue so you know what those referrals are worth

Pro Tip: Goals act as both a personal target and a social incentive. When you share your goal with others, they’re more likely to help you meet it.

Step 2: Know WHO, HOW, and WHEN You’ll Ask

Random asks don’t work. You need a repeatable process:

• WHO will you ask? Clients? Partners? Friends? People you meet at events?
  
  
• HOW will you ask? Text, email, pitch card, DM?
  
  
• WHEN will you do it? Block a recurring time—like 15 minutes every Monday morning—to ask.

💡 Example: “I’m reaching out to 3 past clients this week and asking each to share my pitch card with just one person.”

Step 3: Offer an Incentive (Emotional or Tangible)

People do things when there’s something in it for them. But incentives don’t have to be cash. Jeff suggests using goal-sharing as an emotional incentive: “I’m trying to hit 5 referrals this month. Would you mind helping me by sharing my pitch card with one person?”

This makes people feel like they’re part of your story and success. It’s more motivating than a $10 gift card — and more personal.

You can also build in:

• Referral rewards
• Thank-you shoutouts
• Exclusive discounts
• Surprise gifts

Step 4: Nail Your Elevator Pitch

People can’t refer what they don’t understand. Your elevator pitch is how you equip others to introduce you well.

Jeff teaches the H.E.R.O. model:

• Humanize – Start with something relatable or personal
• Empathize – Name your customer’s biggest pain point (their "shark bite")
• Resolve – Briefly explain how you solve it
• Offer – End with a clear, simple call to action (book a call, visit site, etc.)

Step 5: Make it Easy to Refer You

This is the most important part. Even when someone wants to help, if it takes too much time or mental energy, it won’t happen. Jeff’s advice: Don’t ask for a “referral.” Ask for a “share.”

For example:“Would you mind just sharing my pitch card with one person who might need what I do?”

Pitch 59 was built to make this process instant:

• A ready-made video elevator pitch
• A custom intro message written by you
  
• Instant sharing by text, email, QR code, or social

When sharing your card takes less than 10 seconds — and sounds exactly the way you would introduce yourself — referrals become second nature for your network.

Bonus: Power Referral Sessions

One of Jeff’s most powerful strategies is the 15-minute Power Referral Session.

How it works:

1. Pair up with a fellow business owner
2. Spend 15 minutes referring each other to as many people as you can
3. Use Pitch 59 to share pitch cards and make three-way intros quickly

Many users walk away from one session with 10+ high-quality leads, no cold outreach required.

What Is Pitch 59—and Why It Works

Pitch 59 is like a video-powered business card turned into a referral engine. Each “pitch card” lets you:

• Record your 59-second pitch
• Include your links, contact info, and calendar
• Let others refer you with a single tap or text
• Track who’s viewing and sharing your card

Unlike paper cards or standard contact links, Pitch 59 cards are alive — you speak directly to new leads, and your champions never have to fumble the intro.

Jeff even built pockets to organize your network (like folders for your best referral partners), and resume pitch cards for job seekers to stand out with personality and story.

Why it works:

Referrals are rooted in trust. But most people hesitate to refer others because:

• They don’t know how to introduce you
• They’re worried about how it will reflect on them
• They don’t have time to explain what you do

Pitch 59 eliminates that anxiety. With a single card, you show up as a real person — not just a headshot and job title. Your video lets others:

• Hear your voice and tone
• See your body language
• Understand your personality and credibility in under a minute

More than not just a contact card, Pitch59 cards create an emotional connection. As Jeff explains, people make decisions emotionally, then justify them logically. Your pitch card taps into that.

🎁 Create your Pitch 59 card and get 20% off with our WTE link

About Jeff Bitton

As an experienced and empathetic SaaS entrepreneur, Jeff is deeply passionate about supporting women in tech and entrepreneurship to achieve big breakthroughs. Outside of his professional endeavors, Jeff is a devoted family man. He is happily married to his lovely wife, Kayci, and together they have six wonderful children: four daughters — Grace, Claire, Lucy, and Lillie — and two energetic sons, Grant and Calvin.

Jeff is a new partner to Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship, dedicated to growing our community with meaningful support. Through free educational content, complimentary resume pitch cards, and revenue shares, he is helping to power WTE’s free membership model and advance our mission of providing accessible resources for women.

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