One of the most powerful ways to grow your business is through referrals. Word-of-mouth referrals are not only cost-effective but also have a personal touch that attracts new customers. In this article, we’ll explore how you can leverage referrals to effectively grow your business and increase your customer base.
The great part about referral marketing is that you (the business owner) are in control. You can encourage and drive more referrals for your business in several ways. Let’s talk about the top 5 ways we have found to grow your business by encouraging customers to refer your business.
This should go without saying, but the foundation of any referral is the customer’s satisfaction. When clients are happy with your products or services, they are more inclined to share their positive experiences. Always strive to exceed your customer’s expectations. Happy clients will do the rest.
It may seem simple, but many businesses overlook the power of just asking. After successfully completing a project or delivering excellent service, ask your clients if they know anyone who could benefit from your offerings. A straightforward request can often lead to valuable leads.
Incentivizing referrals is a great way to encourage customers to share your business. You can offer discounts, free services, or even small gifts as a token of appreciation for each successful referral. Be sure to make the rewards enticing enough to motivate your clients to take action.
Alternatively, formalizing the process with a referral program can make it easier for customers to refer others. Make the program clear and simple to understand. For example, offer existing customers a reward after a friend or colleague signs up for your services. Ensure you track referrals so you can recognize and reward your clients accurately.
Don’t forget about your past clients. Staying in touch through email newsletters, special offers, or seasonal greetings can keep your business top of mind. When they know someone who could use your services, they will be more likely to refer you.
The easier you make it for customers to refer you, the more likely they will do it. Provide your clients with an easy referral form on your website, share a link to your business’s page, or create a referral card they can hand out. The more accessible the referral process, the more likely clients will follow through.
Someone letting others know about a discount or sale helps drive referrals to grow a business.
Referrals have been proven to be an excellent source of high-quality leads. When someone refers a business to a friend or colleague, it carries more weight than a paid ad or cold outreach. People tend to trust their peers over traditional advertisements.
Referrals come with a built-in trust factor, making the conversion process smoother. According to a study done by Nielson, consumers who are recommended a product or service by a family member or friend are 4x as likely to convert into a customer!
Unlike paid advertising campaigns on Google Ads (PPC) for example, referral programs require little investment, and the results are often a leading growth factor for businesses. Just like having a good website, referrals are a free organic way to get more leads for your business.
Customers who refer others to your business are more likely to remain loyal and engage with your services.
If not, let’s turn your website into an asset for your business >
While referrals can be a great source of leads and revenue for your business, there are a few other ways you can drive more growth to your business without any money for an advertising budget.
We wouldn’t be doing you any justice if we didn’t mention the benefit a good website can have on your business. If there is a market for the product or service you are offering, then people are searching for it online! If you don’t come up with a fast, optimized website, you’re missing out on having a 24/7 salesperson working for your business.
Many local businesses are successful and 90% of their first-time customers come from their Google Business Profile (GBP). Your business profile, when optimized correctly, can be a powerhouse lead generator by appearing at the top of Google searches when people are looking for search terms related to your business.
One high quality referral can turn into tons of revenue and additional clients!
For a real-life reference, we’ve built the core of our business on the strength of referrals. We believe that the best way to showcase our work is through the success stories of our satisfied clients. Whether we’ve designed a stunning website or helped optimize a digital marketing campaign, word of mouth from our clients has even helped us expand our reach outside of just Rhode Island.
So how can you get started right now?
As we said, don’t be afraid to ask without being too pushy! Your greatest asset will be your ability to provide high-quality customer service and close out a job well done with a simple request.
This one is probably the easiest method to drum up some quick leads for your business in a pinch and can be a perfect first action step to get started. So find that list of previous customers, and get to checking in!
Watch this YouTube video to see 9 easy referral tactics that can work for your business!
To start a referral program, determine what rewards you’ll offer, create a simple process for clients to follow, and ensure you have a system in place to track referrals. It’s essential that the program is easy to join and understand.
You can track referrals through referral codes, custom links, or a CRM system that logs when new clients come from a specific source. This ensures that rewards are given out appropriately.
Not every customer will feel comfortable asking for referrals. In these cases, try to gently remind them of your services and how they can help others by referring your business. Make sure your incentives are appealing, so customers feel motivated to share your business.
Yes, offering incentives to both the referrer and the new client can double your chances of getting more referrals. For example, you can offer the existing client a discount, and the new client a first-time purchase benefit.
You don’t want to ask for referrals too often, as it might become annoying. A good rule of thumb is to ask after a successful service is completed or when you know your customer is satisfied with your work. Additionally, asking once a quarter can keep your referral program in the spotlight.
Ideally you should have multiple streams for generating new business and leads. In a addition to getting referrals, we suggest a mobile friendly website, built for conversions. Digital marketing such as SEO, Google Ads and social media can be a very powerful way to boost your business! Contact JPG Designs to see how we can help you with your website design and marketing goals.
Let us know who you are and how we can help on the form and we’ll be in touch shortly to get started!
JPG Designs is a Rhode Island web design company with over 14 years of experience. We offer website design & digital solutions to grow clients’ businesses.
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