Blog > How To Get Customers Knocking at Your Door
As business owners we, of course, love customers to come to us via a referral.
As customers, we all trust word of mouth recommendations when making a purchase.
So with these points in mind, I’m often surprised when small business owners don’t have a referral process or system to help bring keen and eager customers to their door. To make referrals work for you, like any other part of your business you need a system (a simple one, but a system nonetheless).
Just the briefest of reminders of why referrals are so very marvellous:
They cut down on marketing costs
- You get good quality leads who are often ready to buy
- Growth feeds growth; with your ever increasing band of brand ambassadors out there singing your praises
Now, a quick look at the psychology of referrals – these points are key!
Point 1 – People love to help people – we are social animals who like to live in a society, and societies are based on helping each other. It is something that is hard-wired into us. We naturally want to help others and giving a recommendation is a very easy way of doing that.
Point 2 – People want recognition and thanks – I don’t know if it is my ego, if I am a bit needy, or just being British and expecting a polite thank you – but if I recommend someone I want to hear whether it worked out, whether a deal was done, I want to know what happened next! Taking time to thank your brand ambassador for recommending you to a new customer is crucial (and polite!). They are more likely to recommend you again, failing to thank will often mean an end to that referral stream.
So, the Do’s and Don’ts on creating a simple system:
Don’t Assume..…that people know you welcome referrals; actively tell people. For example, have a polite sign off on your email saying you welcome referrals, put it in client quotes or agreements, when people thank you for a job well done mention you welcome referrals. Where possible let people know the types of customers you are looking for.
Do Make it Rewarding……for example offer a slightly discounted rate for referrals. This gives everyone benefit – you get a new client without too much selling, your new client gets a discount and the person who referred them feels good as they have helped both you and your new client.
Do Be Responsive…..so that as soon as you get a referral you take the lead, make contact and lead them through the buying process.
Do Make Sure you say Thank You!! As mentioned above, you are unlikely to get more referrals from an individual unless you say thank you. Depending on the type of business you are in, you might also like to send a little thank you card, voucher or gift to the person who did the referring.
What steps can you make today towards getting more customers knocking on your door?