How to ask for a referral fee.

[fruitstick]

I have referred a company (A) I know to another company (B) I know.

When I originally met company A, looking for work, he told me that one way could be to bring him business (by referring other companies to him). He said he had someone else who did this and he paid them 10% of any resulting business.

Now, I have referred someone, mainly because it makes perfect practical sense for them to work together, and I'm not sure anything will come of it but I don't know how (after the fact) to go back to company A and ask if I can have a %age. Surely he will either think I'm incredibly cheeky or just say no. Or both.

Or, he could think it's a good idea as I could bring him more business.

How would you phrase this?

If you have a formal arrangement with company A to bring it business, then it would not be cheeky to ask for a fee.

I don't have a formal arrangement though, that's the thing. He just talked about it as something he would be willing to do.

I should have formalised something before I made the initial referral but didn't think

Could casually ask if they were pleased with the referral and enquire as to whether it generated any business for them. I would then ask, if it was successful, whether you could formalise the arrangement in future - you may have lost out on this one but it may set you up nicely for future transactions.