… got a call from my neighbor, Rick.

He’s looking for a particular type of marketing help for his particular type of company.

He wanted to know if I was someone who could help him. (I’m not.)

But I was able to refer him to a friend, who may be.

People have very specific problems. When they identify one, they look for someone who can fix it (usually by asking people they already know).

Here’s what they are not looking for: “Highly qualified and experienced, well-rounded professionals who can contribute over the long term.” That’s what employers are looking for.

If you want people to refer business to you, you need to be viewed as the go-to solution for a particular audience with a particular problem.