Wondering where else to get more referral for your business? Here are some suggestions.
From the ranks of your own existing customers
Some of the best business referrals come from current clients, so you shouldn’t mind “hooking up” the friends of your best customers. The best way to encourage your customers to refer your business is not to pay them – it’s to hookup the people they refer. Business owners who get the most referrals don’t talk about this, but they do it informally all the time.
By hosting customer appreciation events
This may seem like busy work to many, but the businesses who get the most referrals seem to be hosting the most number of customer appreciation events. For example, do something special on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day to acknowledge your customers who are moms and dads.Or it could be even a little more self- serving like providing free lunch to your best customers if the come in for a focus group to provide you ideas to help you improve your business.Whatever it is, businesses who get the most referrals seem to always be up to something to show their appreciation to their customers.
At industry conferences
When someone is a featured speaker at a conference, their credibility and trust factor multiplies by 10.As it turns out, credibility and trust is a key factor for referrals. Who would ever refer a friend to someone who they didn’t think was credible and trustworthy?When the owner a business delivers a quality presentation, they transfer this credibility and trust factor directly to their business. Everyone in the room during that presentation then becomes not only a potential customer, but also someone who will likely refer customers to that business.Businesses who get the most referrals always take advantage of this and constantly seek out conferences where they can speak.
From bazaars and trade shows
There doesn’t seem to be a better way to convince people to try your brand, and eventually refer them to others, than by allowing customers to have a try of what you can offer. Bazaars and trade shows are meant to display your prowess and your extraordinary quality – so use these events as opportunities to show off.
From email marketing
Email marketing is by far the most efficient and affordable way to automate repetitive communication tasks in your business. Due to advancements in technology, there are ways to ask for customer referrals beyond face-to-face or telephone conversations. If you have a customer’s e-mail address, you can follow up in an e-mail to make sure that they are satisfied and, in the process, ask if they would refer your business to others.The businesses who get the most referrals understand the power of email, never abuse it, yet still use it to their full advantage.
From their own Blogs
Creating a credible and consistent blog is a game changer for any business.Even if you get zero traffic to your blog, you still get the benefit of learning how to formulate your ideas and opinions in a clear and concise way. This in turn helps you then communicate better with your customers and could become content for a future book (authoring books help referral business in the same way as speaking at conferences).Chances are though, your customers will read your blog and when they do you begin to learn much more about what they care about. When they share certain types of post with their friends, you immediately know you hit a hot button
From parties, get- togethers, reunions and anywhere a business owner knows someone
Usually, people who are invited to parties because they share a common acquaintance. And it is this unexpected common factor is that which can help someone bridge a referral to someone else. A party thrower may know someone who provides an excellent product, and then eventually refer this business onto her other friends who are at the same party. And since they are at the same place at the same time, then it becomes convenient for a business owner to make his pitch. Take advantage of the opportunity by being prepared to present your business – even if your original purpose at a party is just to relax and have fun. You’ll never know…