Did You Say Referrals?
Marketing has really evolved since the days of needing to have a physical contact to get more customers. Now, it is the digital age where virtually all communication is done online. Thanks to the internet, digital devices, and platforms, more customers can now be reached easily without physical communication. We have heard of web marketing and Search Engine Optimization methods, but one of the best and easiest ways to market your business online is to know how to reach customers by asking for referrals. Asking for referrals will work with basically any type of business, and works great in a service business. We reached out to William from Parking Lot Striping Atlanta, to get his take on how to increase your service business by asking for referrals.
When you have a business, you are not only selling your product or service, you are also fostering a good relationship with your customers. You are nurturing mutual loyalty. Satisfying your customers and even going beyond their expectations can start you earn you their loyalty. Loyalty in this context does not only work for you as having “monopoly” of customers. It can also make your customers willing to help you get customers. Knowing how to reach customers by asking for referrals can really give your business the edge over the competition. In the paragraphs below, a few tips will be discussed on how to do that.
You can also ask for referrals physically, from customers but if you have to do that, there are some things you have to put in place a priori. You must have an up-to-date register for your customers to know their purchasing routines and a few things about how and why they patronize you. This will give you a perfect control of how you would carry out your marketing plans.
- TELEMARKETING
I wanted to call it cold calling but it struck me that using the term telemarketing captures the whole essence, so I am taking my time to explain this. Cold calling can be defined as a process of trying to initiate a business relationship with an individual or organization which has never patronized you (as a sales person) or your product or service. Telemarketing doesn’t only include cold calling. One can also solicit prospective customers by asking customers who are savvy of your products or service to refer you. This way, you can be sure that their product knowledge will be an asset and those prospects would not necessarily contact you before deciding to patronize.
- E-MAIL TEMPLATES
A referral e-mail template is a virtual page used in soliciting prospective leads from a customer. Most companies often use the formal tone. Ironically, it comes across as boring, and a burden. When creating a virtual referral template, make sure the contents are engaging and dialogic. Give the template a creative design and let the process be easy to use. So when you send an e-mail to a customer asking them to help you spread awareness about your services, make sure to give them a good reason to do so. Let the template be concise and let the literature carry a friendly tone.
- AFTER SERVICE CALLS
After you provide service or the delivery is almost done, you can put a call through to that customer and ask them if their expectations were actually met. Of course, if you offer quality service, you are sure to get a positive response. You can then go on and ask if they will other people about your company or services. They will not only agree to it; they will be proactive about it. It would not matter if it was for that reason you called. The personal relationship they feel they have with you will make them do it cheerfully.
- PROMOTION
This is one conventional way to ask for referrals. When you plan periodic promotions, the idea of getting more customers by asking for referrals should be integrated into the whole package. For example, you offer to give your customers a 50 percent discount on 2 high-end products if they buy 5 regular products. But the good news is that they don’t have to be the one to purchase all 5. They can also earn points if they refer your products or services to other persons. Customers will not only refer you to others, they will also try to convince them to buy.
- DIGITAL SALES NAVIGATION
There are plenty sites where professional profiles of you as a salesperson can be created. Popular sites are LinkedIn and Google+. These platforms are typically for professionals who leverage on one another’s networks. When you market your new business to a network of colleagues, asking for referrals, be sure to get a positive feedback. This is because potential clients who are interested in your kind of service will patronize. It is called doing ‘Business by Acquaintance’.
We how you have enjoyed this article and can get serious about asking for referrals. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, or feel free to reach out to William as well a http://www.parkinglotstripingatlanta.com/ We would love to hear from you.