Recommendations from your existing customers – Referrals – are one of the great ways to grow any business. They’re not only free (or virtually free.) They also tend to bring in the best, most loyal customers.
Many businesses do very well from referrals without pro-actively seeking them. But don’t just wait for referrals to come to you. Go out and get them.
There are dozens of great referral strategies. Here’s one of what I call “The Chris Cardell Favourites”. It’s simple but effective.
We all know that it pays to give your customers material to pass on to their friends, relatives and colleagues. This will normally be a brochure, flyer, maybe an offer or a voucher.
But think about it. If you can get a customer, who thinks you’re great, to have a conversation with someone about you – and get them to hand something over to them – surely it’s a great investment to make sure that what they hand over truly impresses the person receiving it.
My recommendation is that you move beyond brochures. Give your customers a GIFT to pass on to people – a gift that’s specific to your line of business. It could be a book on your core subject, or a sample of your product, or a DVD (maybe a physical version of the video you offer on your internet landing page)
Include your branding on the gift and a direct call to action to get them to contact you. It will impress them. It will show credibility and it will begin the relationship with the new customer on a great note. They’ll feel positive about you and that will directly influence how much they’re willing to spend with you.
It’s a shame that so many businesses spend so much on ineffective Marketing and Advertising, yet they’re unwilling to make small investments on these types of strategies. I’m sure you’ll be smart enough to think differently. To have your best customers out there in the world, armed with your material is the best (and lowest cost) sales team you’ll ever find.