How To Add More Referrals - The Highest Value Leads You Can Land For Your Business
As a business owner, you always want to be bringing in new customers.
It can be difficult and costly to find new ways to reach people. And if you ask most people where most of their business comes from, most of them will say referrals. And usually by a large percentage.
But very few businesses are actually invested in a referral strategy.
Even though, customer referrals are one of the most powerful marketing tools available, and they come with a number of benefits.
- First of all, referrals are generally more trustworthy than other forms of marketing, since they come from a personal recommendation.
- Secondly, they tend to be more qualified leads, since your satisfied customers are only going to recommend your business to people they think will benefit from it.
- Finally, customer referrals are usually free, and they tend to convert at a higher rate and spend more money with less resistance.
All this makes referrals an extremely cost-effective way to grow your business. So if you're not already encouraging customer referrals...
Now is the time to start!
In this blog post, we will share 11 tips that will help you get more referrals from your current and potential customers.
So, without further ado, if your business is referral ready, let's get started!
1. Provide An Incentive
Providing an incentive for referrals. A discount or freebie, you'll be more likely to get people to spread the word about your business. Make sure it is valuable to your customer, from their perspective.
Get creative with your referral program and come up with an incentive that will really motivate people to spread the word about your business. Think outside the traditional discount or freebie and get creative!
2. Make It EASY
Make it easy for people to refer you by providing them with referral cards or a simple link they can share. Maybe provide them with pre-written text, email, or social media posts that they can simply copy and paste. The easier you make it for them, the more likely you are to get referred.
3. Keep In Touch - Something New
Keep in touch with your past clients and customers and let them know when you have something new or exciting to offer - they'll be more likely to refer you if they know you're still in business and doing well.
4. Keep In Touch - Happiest & Best
Keep in touch with your happiest customers and ask them directly for referrals. These customers are already sold on your products or services, so they'll be more likely to give you a referral.
5. Availability Reminder
Remind your customers that even though you are doing well, recent growth has opened up opportunities to work with more clients if they know anyone who is looking for exceptional care and support.
5. Get Involved - Local
Get involved in community & networking event, meetups, business groups - the more people you meet, the more likely someone will refer you to someone else.
(Use AIM templates to get more people to pay attention and show interest in you and your business.)
6. Get Involved - Industry
Get involved in online communities related to your industry and share your expert insights - this will not only make you more visible, but people will be more likely to refer you as a trusted resource.
7. Exceptional Customer Experience
Make sure you're providing an exceptional customer experience so that people will want to refer you to others. This includes everything from your initial contact to post-purchase follow-up.
8. Cross Promotions
Keep an eye out for opportunities to cross-promote with other businesses that complement your own - this could result in a referral agreement where you both promote each other to your respective audiences.
9. Referral Systems
Use referral marketing software and systems to automate and keep track of your referral program. This can save you time and make it easier to follow up with customers and track results. Remember, it's not a system if it isn't implemented every time, by every person. If you have one that's not working, make sure you evaluate where the breakdown is.
Bonus Tips
When asking for referrals, be sure to be specific about the type of client you are looking for. This will help your referral sources to provide you with qualified leads.
In addition, be sure to express your appreciation for any referrals you receive. A simple thank-you note can go a long way in fostering a relationship of trust and mutual respect. This will show your appreciation and keep them in the loop, which could result in more referrals down the road.
By following these simple tips, you can build a steady stream of referrals that will help you to grow your business.
Because in the end, Referral leads are one of the most valuable types of leads because they tend to convert at a higher rate and spend more money with less resistance. This makes it easier to get them better relults
And once you have a satisfied customer, they're more likely to be willing to refer you to their friends and colleagues.
As a small business, it's important to make sure you're doing everything possible to generate referral leads
Now go out there and get more referrals to grow and scale your business.