Experts say that you should receive four to ten referrals per month if you are realizing the full potential of the customer relationships that you are building with each sale. However, many business owners do not get to this point because they do not realize just what they can do with referrals or they do not know how to get referrals. With a little creativity and some flexibility, though, you can get some great referrals for your business. These referral techniques can help you take your business to the next level.
Be One of a Kind
If you offer a product or service that is unique, you can carve out a nice little niche for yourself and set yourself apart from other similar businesses. When you establish yourself as one of a kind, your customers will refer you to their friends and family because they may not be able to find what you offer elsewhere. This may sound like a super simple technique, but it definitely works.
Offer Referral Incentives
Referral incentives have long been used for many different businesses as a way of generating referrals from customers. Offering discounts or incentive gifts can give your customers a very good reason to tell their family and friends about you. You can even offer a discount on referrals, and then offer a gift when the customer gives so many qualifying referrals and they make a purchase. This way, you almost guarantee repeat business because your existing customer has a discount to use and you get some new customers in the process.
Give Outstanding Customer Service
This referral technique may seem like a no brainer, but it is such a simple concept that is often evades businesses. Give outstanding customer service. When your customer service department is on top of things and caters to your customer offering support and assistance with courtesy and kindness, your customers will take notice. Make your customer service department very accessible and make sure that they are willing to bend over backwards to ensure that the customer is happy. You will have your customers raving to everyone they meet about your business!
Try the BBRW Technique
This is an ole referral technique that is used by the insurance industry. It is the “Benefit, Benefit, Recommend, Who” strategy. When have closed a sale with your customer, ask them this line of questions: “Are you happy with the BENEFITS that this product/service offers?” When they say yes, move on to, “Do you think that other people could BENEFIT from this product/service?” When they answer yes, ask, “If you could RECOMMEND this product/service to someone, WHO would be the first two people you would recommend it to?” And you have your referral! If you ask this question after each sale, think of the referrals that you will generate!
Give them the Tools to Refer You
This referral technique is more of a soft sell, but if done correctly, it can be very successful just the same. Create a brochure or flyer that talks about your product or service and write if from your customer’s point of view. Answer the questions that your customers or potential customers want answered and address their concerns. Then give them to your existing customers and ask that they pass them on to others who they feel could benefit from your business. Make sure that you include your contact information, including email and a telephone number because some people prefer email contact while others prefer the phone. Then when the referrals contact you, make the sale.
There are many other referral techniques for businesses; if you are creative you can certainly come up with some. Just remember to always be courteous and kind, no matter what and give your customers something unique with exceptional customer service. With that, you can’t go wrong.
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