If you’re an advisor, obviously you want your clients to send referrals in your direction. But put yourself in your client’s shoes for a moment: Say they have a friend or an acquaintance who says to them: “I just won the lottery and I need someone to help me invest the money.” It’s likely your name will pop into your client’s mind. Few other people are as obvious as you are.

But that doesn’t mean your client knows what to say or is going to spark a relationship. You have to prompt your clients first by asking them questions before these situations arise.

That often starts by asking them, “Who do you know?” You are looking for money in motion, or money that could be in motion. When your clients come up with a name, then you can follow up: “I would be interested in talking with them.”

Here are 10 questions to ask your clients that prompt them to make a referral:

1. “Who do you know that is invested in the stock market and dissatisfied with their results?” After the first six months of 2022 saw a 20% decline in the S&P 500, everyone knows people who complain about the stock market. Note: You don’t say you can do any better. You just say you’re interested in talking with those unhappy people.

2. “Who do you know at work that is retiring in the next 12 months?” Many people will be depending on Social Security and the return on their retirement assets to support them in retirement. Now that inflation has returned and store prices are higher, some people might be wondering if retiring now is a good idea. They may not know how long their retirement assets will last. You can help answer that question.

3. “Who do you know that has recently joined your company?” It’s been said people will have about a dozen jobs during their working career. If someone was recently hired at your client’s company, that means they stopped working someplace else. Since retirement plan assets are often portable, there is money that is likely going to be rolled over. You can help.

4. “Who do you know that recently had a child?” Everyone knows a new parent. It might be your client’s children or grandchildren. If your client is younger, it might be their college friend. Whoever it is, they will need to start education planning early. There may also be a need for life insurance for this young family.

5. “Who do you know that recently lost a spouse?” It might be through death. Or divorce. Whatever the case, it’s an emotional time. The person who is now alone might not know where to turn for advice. But they are also on alert, hoping to avoid predatory types. Ideally, the person who introduces you is a longtime client.

6. “Who do you know that is selling their business?” This situation is often considered the “whale” in prospecting terms: It comes along rarely, and advisors often don’t know how to find it. But the pandemic has gotten many people rethinking their priorities. They might need help valuing their business, selling it and reinvesting the proceeds. You and your firm might be able to help.

7. “Who do you know that has recently gotten married?” Regardless of their age, when people marry, their finances often need attention. Do two bankbooks become one? Are the newlyweds keeping their finances separate? There are financial planning issues that need to be discussed.

8. “Who do you know that is downsizing?” Many people choose to simplify their lives as they get older. When their children move out and settle down, they decide to travel more and spend less time on home maintenance. This often means they will be buying a new place for less than the sale price of their current home. The extra money is likely to go into an income-producing asset. You can help with that.

9. “Who do you know that is a new neighbor?” If your client lives in a nice area, especially one that has grown in value, it means the people around them are doing pretty well, too, especially the newcomers. Maybe somebody new has moved into the area after trading up or moving from far away. Newcomers in such valuable areas need local services. That includes you.

10. “Who do you know that was recently downsized?” It’s difficult when people are let go, especially older people. Your client might know someone in that situation and want to help. Maybe you and your client could both meet with this person, since two heads are better than one. Maybe you have some contacts who could help. You would want the same support if the roles were reversed. If you are able to help them find a new position, they might need your help to find a home for their rollover assets. (But you don’t want to be the one who brings that up.)

Finally, there is always the question from the beginning of the story: “Who do you know that won the lottery?” Someone did and someone knows who they are!

Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry. His book Captivating the Wealthy Investor is available on Amazon.