The Power of Referrals: Generate Qualified, Ready leads from existing customers!

Referrals are incredibly important for fledgling businesses all the way up to national enterprises. Requiring very little financial investment, referrals are one of the best ways to get warm leads. 

Why?

1. Qualified Leads – If a client recommends your services to someone else who works in the same industry, it’s likely they face similar problems that your service can solve.
2. Trust – If a customer recommends your products to a friend, that referral comes with a lot of trust. People are much more likely to choose your products when there’s trust involved.

Although most businesses understand that referrals are a powerful part of marketing, many struggle with getting referrals. Here are 5 important tips for greater success with referrals for your business.

1. Time it right

Don’t leave it too late to ask for referrals. Instead, ask when your customer is still excited about your product or service. That could be straight after you’ve made a successful sale or shaken hands on an exciting project.

If you receive unsolicited praise from a client, respond with thanks and ask if they know anyone else who might benefit from your services. If they’ve already taken the time to show their appreciation, chances are they’ll take the time to refer you to someone else.

2. Make it easy

One of the biggest hurdles to getting more referrals is time. If a client has to spend lots of time and effort giving you a referral, they’re probably not going to follow through. Instead, make it as easy as possible for them.

Include an email template that they can send to their contacts. That way they don’t need to spend time thinking about what to say and how to say it.

3. Give an incentive

If you have been asking at the right time and making it easy for your clients but still aren’t getting referrals, you might have better luck if you offer an incentive. Whether you offer a discount, a bottle of wine or a free service, people are more likely to give you a referral when there’s something in it for them.

4. Follow up

Not everyone will give you a referral when you ask, but many people will give you a referral if you ask a second time. Although it might feel awkward, you’ll have a much better success rate if you follow up. Be sure to keep your follow up emails brief and use a polite and friendly tone.

5. Show your appreciation

If someone gives you a referral, don’t forget to say thank you. Expressing your gratitude will help build trust and may encourage them to give you more referrals in the future. You could give them a quick call to say thanks, send them a personal note or give them a thank you gift.

Need more advice about getting more referrals, gaining warm leads or reaching more customers? At Lawrence Group, we help Perth businesses strengthen their strategies and work towards their goals with confidence. 

Get in touch with us today to see what we can do for you.

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