Referral marketing is the preferred way to grow your business. When one of your happy customers refers you some of the trust building work is already done by the time the prospect meets you! If you follow this referral marketing blog, your business in Salem will thrive!
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Are you uncomfortable asking for referrals?
Worried you will seem “desperate” or “too sales-y”?
Referrals build trust and credibility – via a third party recommendation.
Most business owners and sales professionals prefer generating more business by referral marketing. Very few understand how to tap into their network to proactively generate referrals regularly all year long.
Here’s a list of 10 Tips for businesses in Salem plus One that will put you on the track to increase your referrals:
1. Give referrals! Add “send referrals” to your strategic referral partners into your everyday business practice. Learn who your partners’ ideal referrals are. Be on the lookout for ideal matches for your partners.
2. Be Referable!
* Make it your practice to deliver more than you promise – over deliver and under promise
* Be on time! On-time for appointments, calls, emails and all deliverables.
3. Create a referral marketing system
* Simple method for clients & strategic partners to send the contact information of the referral to you
* A way to record where the prospect (referral) came from so you know who to thank (or train)
* Should have a way to include the desired contact information – the way you want to be represented – that is sent to the referral prospect.
* Provides easy tracking on all the referrals you receive and send. Did you follow up? Did you close the sale?
* Set up a specific email marketing campaign introducing you and your business to the prospect for immediate follow up.
4. Reward your best referral partners. With a system, you’ll be able to track your referrals and know how many you’ve received, as well as which ones were qualified and closed. You’ll also be able to know how many referrals you didn’t close. This might indicate that your referral partner might need additional training or you may need to improve your sales process.
5. Identify strategic referral partners who share the same or similar target audience who you can trust. Your referral partners need to be committed to referring to you as you are to them.
6. Frequently update past clients and strategic partners on the type of referral you are looking for. This is a good time to highlight new products and services.
7. Where appropriate offer referral commission or finders fees. In industries that are highly regulated a small gift under the regulated amount could be an appropriate gift. Where possible use your referral partners to provide the gift.
8. Provide valuable content your referral sources can share with their network – Consider offering an invitation to breakfast or lunch seminar or Meet & Greet. Offer a webinar on an industry topic, regulatory change, or trends in the market.
9. Update your LinkedIn Profile. Stay engaged with your ideal prospects, customers and referral partners. Share valuable content as published articles and/or posts.
10. Create a list of ideal prospects you want to work with. Reach out to them via your network. Use both offline and online networks to make qualified connections.
One More for a Bonus!
11. Ask for Referrals! Brian Buffini uses a delightful phrase when he reminds customers and referral partners. He says, “Oh, and I always have time for your referrals!” This sounds like you’re doing something for your referral partners.
If you take the tips from this referral marketing blog, your business in Salem will have no choice but to succeed!
More Referrals!
Call Melody Campbell
Call Now! 971-563-2007
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