Imagine that in your business every day you get a call from a new potential client that has heard about you and is ready to get started working with you. That would be great and it can happen to you when you put your attention on generating more referrals.
The clients that are referred to you by a client or past client will generally be much better qualified to work with you and they have already heard how great you are and that you do a great job. That makes it very easy for them to decide to work with you. Also, you and your expertise have been pre-sold to the person reaching out to you.
How to Cultivate Referrals
In an effort to cultivate more referrals you have to put your attention on two separate factors: first, how you cultivate referrals and second how you thank the people that send you referrals.
Put together a plan to let your clients know that you appreciate referrals, want referrals and will take great care of anyone they send over. Make sure the Following ideas are part of your plan:
• Educate Your Clients and Past Clients
Also it is common that your clients know that you do what you did for them but they do not know everything you do Make sure you educate your clients to all the different products or services you offer.
• Be Loud and Proud About Referral Fees
If you pay referral fees to people that send your clients that close make sure everyone knows about it. Mention it often. For some people this will be a huge incentive for them to send you some referrals.
• Use Discount Coupons and Discount Coupon Codes
Physical coupons that your clients can hand to people and coupon codes that someone can use to register for a discount while also tracking who the referral came from are a great way to increase referrals especially when your clients can pop their coupon code into an email and send it around.
• Say Thank in a Consistent Way for Referrals
What will get you the most referrals is the way you say thank you, thank you, thank you, to the people that send you business.
Because everyone like recognition it is important to always thank people at least 3 times. Some experts say five times, in a variety of ways. Always send people a handwritten note after they send you a referral and always give them a phone call as well. Do it as soon as the referral comes in even before the business has been closed.
Create a standard process in your business for how you say thank you for referrals, not closed business, just the referrals. In my business we have a standard procedure. We email a thank you for the referral note. We make a thank you call for the same referral to let the referral source know we followed up on it and we send a handwritten thank you note along with a box of thank you notes that are custom designed to be uplifting and consistent with our brand. All this simply for the referral. Because the more we say thank you and show appreciation just for the referral the more we cultivate referrals.
• Thank People Publically
Now with social media we can thank people publically as well. Post in your Linkedin® and Facebook status updates when someone gives you a referral. This lets others know you are looking for referrals and gives your referral source some public recognition. They will love it. Another way to thank people publically is to post a thank you for the referrals section on your home page with the people who have sent you referrals this month. This is the virtual version of posting the names on a bulletin board in your office. Also you can thank people in your newsletter or your e-newsletter.
Now you have everything you need to increase your referrals from clients and former clients. Apply these ideas and pretty soon you will find your phone ringing and your email box singing with people who have heard what a great job you do and are ready to get started being your client.