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7 Tips You
Need to Know to Boost Your Business With Referrals
When people like you, your product or service, chances are you
already have free marketing going around for you. The probability of people
marketing for you would have increased tremendously if they have used your
products or services and are completely satisfied with it.
However in reality, it is not that simple and does not always
happen. As much as you wish for this form of free marketing to keep going,
people will not necessarily go around singing your praises unless someone
asked about you, your products or services. Here are 7 tips you need to know
to increase your chances of getting referrals:
Tip #1 -
Prepare a referral form
Prepare a referral form that you can hand out to your
customers, events or even for mailing out to people. It is important to say
something like: "If you like our products or services, please recommend your
friends below in the blank spaces provided in the form". Do not forget to
mention the incentive they will receive for filling out the form.
Tip #2 -
Ask for testimonials
Ask your existing clients who are satisfied with your products
and services for testimonials that you can use on your website, brochure and
sales letters. This creates credibility and makes it easier to sell and
refer to other people.
Tip #3 -
Refer businesses
Tell people about businesses you would recommend and allow
them to use your name as their referral if they have decided to use the
company you recommended. If the old saying of scratching one another's back
story remains true, you may get some businesses referred back as well. Pass
on any details you have and hopefully, the companies you referred to your
clients will refer businesses back to you.
Tip #4 -
Ask around
Ask your existing clients if they have anyone in mind who can
use your product or service. Ask for the contacts and check if it is okay
for you to use their names as referee. This not only brings in potential
businesses, it also encourages your existing clients to refer you.
Tip #5 -
Offer incentives
Offer a gift or token of appreciation for the people who
recommended your products and services. The incentives serve as the
motivational factor that encourages your existing clients to refer.
Tip #6 -
Listen for potential referrals
Keep your ears peeled for referrals. Listen for remarks from
your customers that mentioned about problems that can be solved by your
products and services. All you have to do is to ask them for the contacts.
Tip #7 -
Thank people for helping you out
When new clients contact you, do remember to ask them how they
came to know about your products and services. This allows you to evaluate
your advertising and marketing efforts, as well as to find out if they were
referred by your existing client.
If the new clients were referred by your existing client, do
send a thank you card to thank the person for referring business to you even
if you are already giving that person an incentive. The purpose is to build
up a strong relationship with your client so that they will continue to
refer your business for you.
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Ben is an entrepreneur and also a operations manager in a corporate
training company. He has extensive knowledge in the areas of finance and
corporate training. He has also started his own online business dealing
in multiple areas of trading in the year 2008. In addition, he takes
time off to self-improve continuously in order to keep abreast of the
latest developments in the economy where knowing where the market leads,
is crucial for the survival of every business.
To find out more on the topics he shares, please visit The
blog of Ben Ang at
http://www.benakm.com
To
find out more on the training programmes, please visit Matthew James
International at
http://www.mji.com.sg
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