6 Creative Ways to Get More Customer Referrals

Creative Ways to Get Customer Referrals

 

In order to keep your business running, you probably rely on customer referrals to some degree. In case you need a short definition, these are new customers that were referred to your business by people who’ve used your services or bought something from you in the past. Most direct sales businesses run this way, as they rely on this word of mouth in order to keep sales rolling in.

 

How do you get customer referrals?

 

We’ll get to that in just a sec…

 

However, the real issue with customer referrals is that you may not know how to get them. Either you aren’t sure of how to ask your current customer base for referrals, or for some reason, the thought to do so never dawned on your clientele.

 

So, what are the best methods of convincing your customers to send business your way?

 

We’ll cover some of the more creative ways here. =)

 

Check it out…

 

Creative Ways to Get Customer Referrals- Be the Type of Company that People are Happy to Refer Others to

 

 

To start off with, you need to run a reliable business if you really want customer referrals. You essentially must be the type of biz owner that people are happy to refer others to.

 

(See what we did there?)

 

This is the key.

 

Your performance needs to be top-notch. You need to have great customer service, go out of your way to make your clients happy, and offer the very best products. This is what will really get you those customer referrals because your clientele really wants to share what you do with their friends and family.

 

They won’t refer people to a business that they don’t like.

 

So, how to get customer referrals? Be the very best.

 

 

Set Up a Referral Program to Capture Customer Referrals

 

 

Another response to the question of how to get customer referrals is to set up a referral program. You’ve probably heard of these before, as many brick and motor companies use them. There are several different ways that you as a direct sales agent can use this to capture those customer referrals. You can use the word of mouth method, where you ask new customers if someone referred you to them your business. Actual forms, either handwritten or submitted via email or your website, are another option.

 

 

You’d be surprised at how many customer referrals you can capture this way. Once you receive the customer referrals, you just need to award your customer (the referring party) in some way. This can be with a gift card, a discount coupon, some sort of free merchandise, or anything else that you can think of.

Use Testimonials and Reviews

 

 

Although these technically aren’t customer referrals, they are, in a way.

 

Confused yet?

 

No worries…I’ll explain. =)

 

If you don’t have an official program for customer referrals, then you can place comments from your actual customers on your website or your Facebook business page. These can be in the form of testimonials and reviews that were sent to you via a “how was my performance” survey or just from your asking them.

 

As long as the customer gives you permission to post their words, then this will help you bring in new customers.

 

Okay so, how do you get customer referrals with a survey?

 

All you gotta do is send out surveys to your customers and see who responds. If you attach a discount code to the survey, then you’re even more likely to get responses.

 

 

Give Them!

 

 

This one also sounds a bit strange, but it really does work. Rather than wondering how to get customer referrals, start by giving them out and referring people to other businesses that you have relationships with.

 

Awesome, right?

 

Now, these businesses shouldn’t be your competitors (this is obvious, but needs to be stated, just in case), but they should be businesses who can return the favor by giving you some customer referrals in exchange.

 

Need an example?

 

Well, you run a small barber shop located on Main Street. There’s a comic book shop located right next door. You tell interested people that you run into (your friends, loved ones, neighbors) about the comic book shop, giving them some customer referrals, and then, in exchange, they do the same for you. Essentially, you talk up each other’s businesses. That’s how to get customer referrals and enter into a symbiotic relationship where you both succeed.

 

This is a traditional business example but, you get the point.

 

If you sell beauty for instance, you can refer people to your health and wellness friend, get it?

 

Ask For Them!

 

 

The one thing that hasn’t been covered here is the most obvious. Rather than wonder how to get customer referrals, as if they are some magical creatures that remain just out of reach, you simply need to ask for them. Creating a program that rewards people for customer referrals have already been mentioned, but sometimes you do need to just straight out ask.

 

 

Put information on your website asking for customer referrals. Ask every client who comes your way to take a customer referral form. Don’t be afraid to ask, as sending you customer referrals is often something that hasn’t dawned on people. They may never have thought to do it until you said something.

 

 

Make Sure That Your Customers Feel Loved and Are In the Loop

 

 

 

Finally, you need to keep your customers informed. That’s another good way to get those customer referrals. You probably think that your customers know every detail about everything that you offer or sell. However, they really don’t. You shouldn’t assume that your customer knows more than you do about your business.

 

 

But, when you keep them in the loop about your offerings, sales, and other things, then they’re more likely to spread that knowledge in the form of customer referrals. The conversation then becomes “oh, have you heard about that biz owner over there? They just told me that they sell amazing skincare products.” And the other person says, “OMF, I need help with my skin!” so they go to your website and buy.

 

 

You also want to make sure your customers feel appreciated. This is probably one of the most important steps in getting more customer referrals. When your customer feels loved they will more inclined to share you and your products to their friends. Customer appreciation using Relationship Marketing has been used since the beginning of the owner customer relationship.

 

How do you show your appreciation?

 

 

Go out of your way to recognize personal events in your customers lives, i.e., celebrating birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc. Thank them for choosing you and your business because they could have gone anywhere else.

This type of word of mouth advertising is a marketers dream. =)

Getting customer referrals requires a bit of creativity, as well as having a good relationship with your current customers and other business owners. If you want a really cool and simple way to reach out and ask for those customer referrals without feeling pushy or awkward, Click here to watch the free video to lean more.

P.S  If you're feeling stuck in your business even after you did everything your upline told you to do... Take a minute to Check out my 3 Step Marketing Blueprint to learn how to start marketing your business without feeling like a pushy salesman. CLICK HERE TO WATCH

 

"As an introvert entrepreneur I don't particularly enjoy chasing strangers online, networking events, talking about myself on social media or anything else you can think of that involves selling! But, because I learned how to market online the right way, I don't have to do those things."

 

↓Check Out More. Comment and Share↓