How to Increase Referrals
Provide a great product or service and customer service., Thank customers for their business., Stay in touch with regular customers., Make your customer experience your competitive edge.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Provide a great product or service and customer service.
If your current clients are happy, they will be more inclined to refer their friends and business partners to you.
Word of mouth is a great way to receive positive referrals and it doesn't cost anything more than what you should be giving them via your business.
Make sure to start and end every customer conversation with a smile.
Go above and beyond to make sure that all customers are satisfied.
The best referrals come from customers who had a stellar experience., Whenever you receive business or a referral from a customer, take the time to thank them.
Whether this is through a phone call, email, or letter, earnestly thank them for their business.
You may also offer a free gift or a discount on their next purchase if they provided you with a strong referral.
When sending gifts, make sure they are unique and/or personalized to the recipient.
Otherwise, they'll just end up in the trash.
Consider sending something like a food or candy basket, event tickets, or a bottle of wine, depending on your customer's interests.For smaller orders, consider gifting them an inexpensive accessory that complements their purchase., Your regular customers are your primary sources for recommendations.
Make sure that they feel constantly engaged by coming up with some method staying in touch with them.
This can be through letters, phone calls, regular meet-ups, or another method.
You can also create a defined club or group for your best customers, and include them in special events or a monthly newsletter.
Just make sure that any newsletter you send contains something of value to them so it is not a monthly annoyance.
Everyone sends out Christmas cards.
Stand out by sending cards or gifts on different holidays or events in your clients' lives.
For example, consider sending a small gift on a customer's anniversary or a relevant gift on a holiday like Independence Day or Halloween., All customers should get superior service, and a service level agreement (SLA) is a way to promise this level of service to each one.
A SLA specifies exactly what level of service a customer can expect from your business.
It might state a certain delivery time, level of accuracy, or response time, depending on your business model.
Show these contracts to potential customers so that they know they can depend on your business.
Once you've got them signed on, consistently exceed the level of service stated in the agreement to really lock them in as long-term customers. -
Step 2: Thank customers for their business.
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Step 3: Stay in touch with regular customers.
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Step 4: Make your customer experience your competitive edge.
Detailed Guide
If your current clients are happy, they will be more inclined to refer their friends and business partners to you.
Word of mouth is a great way to receive positive referrals and it doesn't cost anything more than what you should be giving them via your business.
Make sure to start and end every customer conversation with a smile.
Go above and beyond to make sure that all customers are satisfied.
The best referrals come from customers who had a stellar experience., Whenever you receive business or a referral from a customer, take the time to thank them.
Whether this is through a phone call, email, or letter, earnestly thank them for their business.
You may also offer a free gift or a discount on their next purchase if they provided you with a strong referral.
When sending gifts, make sure they are unique and/or personalized to the recipient.
Otherwise, they'll just end up in the trash.
Consider sending something like a food or candy basket, event tickets, or a bottle of wine, depending on your customer's interests.For smaller orders, consider gifting them an inexpensive accessory that complements their purchase., Your regular customers are your primary sources for recommendations.
Make sure that they feel constantly engaged by coming up with some method staying in touch with them.
This can be through letters, phone calls, regular meet-ups, or another method.
You can also create a defined club or group for your best customers, and include them in special events or a monthly newsletter.
Just make sure that any newsletter you send contains something of value to them so it is not a monthly annoyance.
Everyone sends out Christmas cards.
Stand out by sending cards or gifts on different holidays or events in your clients' lives.
For example, consider sending a small gift on a customer's anniversary or a relevant gift on a holiday like Independence Day or Halloween., All customers should get superior service, and a service level agreement (SLA) is a way to promise this level of service to each one.
A SLA specifies exactly what level of service a customer can expect from your business.
It might state a certain delivery time, level of accuracy, or response time, depending on your business model.
Show these contracts to potential customers so that they know they can depend on your business.
Once you've got them signed on, consistently exceed the level of service stated in the agreement to really lock them in as long-term customers.
About the Author
Maria Coleman
Specializes in breaking down complex home improvement topics into simple steps.
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