As you know we’ve been talking about getting new, fresh clients to your business using referrals. Last week we talked about the psychological reasons your clients refer, and how to tap into those. To see where we’ve been, visit my blog post from last week below this post. Today, we’ll start looking at specific ways to get referrals in your business, no matter what niche you’re in!
The best way to get referrals (but by no means the easiest) is to find ways to do what you do so well and so uniquely that your customers cannot resist telling lots of people about you.
Yeah, easier said than done, but extremely possible. I’ll tell you that it’s hard to have a truly unique product or service. Be honest with yourself, there’s probably plenty of places your clients could go to get what you do. So the best way to stand out from your competition is in the service and the way you do things.
Here’s an example. One of our businesses is selling to independent and regional chain retailers. To be completely honest, you can get what we sell online for less. But the experience you get when you order with us is second to none. From the first greeting on the telephone, to timely shipping and receiving your order on time, the entire experience is one that you can’t get from our “price only” competitors.
It’s not uncommon for us to get calls saying they were referred from a friend because they just had such a great experience with us.
A second way is to simply ask for them. It may sound easy, and it is, but timing is everything. Here’s an example from a menswear store we do business with.
You need to know when it’s the right time in the buying experience to ask for them. In the menswear example, the time was right after they made the purchase at the cash register and THEY said thank you (which they almost always did). Here’s the script they used:
“As you know this is how I make my living, and I sure would appreciate your help. If you like the way you’ve been treated and you feel a friend or co-worker could use us, I would really appreciate it if you could give me the names of a couple people you feel could benefit from us.”
And more often than not, they got a referral right there.
A third way is to have an event where loyal customers are motivated to bring their friends, relatives, neighbors etc.
I have seen and heard of this working very well for all businesses including dentist, chiropractors, tax prep, financial services etc. But don’t think it can’t work for you! I have a consulting client who owns a fishing boat (among other things), and we suggested he use a client appreciation event during the non-fishing season to get his currently clients together, and encourage them to bring a guest (after all, fishermen know other fishermen!). I have no doubt this will be a huge success in filling his fishing trips well in advance of next season.
Showing posts with label referrals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label referrals. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Get More Referrals
If there’s one thing every business could use, it’s a fresh batch of new, ready-to-buy referral clients lining up each day. However, like most things, it’s easier said than done. For the next couple tips we’ll cover how you can actively promote and generate new referral clients in your business.
Referrals are your second easiest client/patient to sell to (#1 being your own, current and active clients) so it makes sense to nurture referrals and have marketing campaigns and systems in place in your business to first and foremost get your current happy clients to give them, and second, to be sure you get them as clients once they are referred to you.
Here are a couple of stats that may jump out at you. First, the average person has an immediate circle of influence or around 50 people. However, the average satisfied customer will only tell 3 other people about a satisfied experience. 3 out of 50!
So the important thing to understand is satisfaction is not sufficient. The secret to referral stimulus is the different between satisfaction and enthusiasm produced by either merely meeting expectation or exceeding expectations.
Think of it this way, none of your clients leave your store, practice, office, or website thinking to themselves,”how can I tell as many people as possible about this experience?” You’ve got to give them the reason to do it, and the tools and the way to do it.
So starting next Tuesday we’ll talk about six specific ways you can use to get referrals in your business.
Referrals are your second easiest client/patient to sell to (#1 being your own, current and active clients) so it makes sense to nurture referrals and have marketing campaigns and systems in place in your business to first and foremost get your current happy clients to give them, and second, to be sure you get them as clients once they are referred to you.
Here are a couple of stats that may jump out at you. First, the average person has an immediate circle of influence or around 50 people. However, the average satisfied customer will only tell 3 other people about a satisfied experience. 3 out of 50!
So the important thing to understand is satisfaction is not sufficient. The secret to referral stimulus is the different between satisfaction and enthusiasm produced by either merely meeting expectation or exceeding expectations.
Think of it this way, none of your clients leave your store, practice, office, or website thinking to themselves,”how can I tell as many people as possible about this experience?” You’ve got to give them the reason to do it, and the tools and the way to do it.
So starting next Tuesday we’ll talk about six specific ways you can use to get referrals in your business.
Monday, October 20, 2008
The Secret Of Getting Referrals
There has never been any argument in advertising circles that the most effective business advertising is word-of-mouth advertising.
That’s why direct selling is so dramatically successful as a method of marketing every imaginable product and service, and why direct selling is such a great business in which to be. As a direct salesperson conversationally telling another person why you like a particular product, you are much more convincing advertisement than any TV commercial or magazine ad.
The tremendous persuasiveness of your personal endorsement of a product is what word-of-mouth advertising is all about. Much to the chagrin of professional ad agencies, such word-of-mouth advertising cannot be purchased. But you, as a direct salesperson, can put this special type of advertising power to work for your business.
Because you are fortunate to be on friendly, personal terms with your customers, you can enlist their aid in promoting your services. You can actually turn your present customers into a personal advertising department. All you need to do is master the right way to ask for their help.
Develop Personal Relations
If you learn how to properly ask for their help, your customers will enthusiastically go to work advertising your business. This will help promote your services, lead you to scores of new services, and give you all the valuable benefits of word-of-mouth advertising. There are two types:
Avoid Pressure
The most important thing to remember is that this kind of help cannot be bought from your customers. It must never seem like you are offering a bribe in exchange for a list of names. As a rule, people will not “sell” their friends to you. Offering an “inducement” also might raise doubts about the quality of your services. If they are as good as you say they are, why should you bribe people for their recommendations?
Remember two very important things about human nature: first, people usually enjoy telling others about products they try and like. Second, people like to be appreciated. One way they get appreciated is by being helpful to others.
In short, offer an incentive for help without appearing to be paying for it.
Show Appreciation
In this way, you’re thanking the person, not bribing them. They’ll be pleased, won’t feel guilty, and will be more willing the next time you ask.
The next time you call on that customer you should remember to again thank them for their help. Report to them on the reactions of the prospects they suggested. Let the person you know you did call on them, that Mrs. Jones did become a customer and purchased such and such, and that Mrs. Walters was interested but wished to purchase at a later date.
In many cases, after reporting these results, you can obtain a couple of additional prospects from them.
Prospects are the lifeblood of your business. Your greatest asset in direct sales is your inventory of prospective new customers. And there is no better way to maintain that inventory, converting prospects to customers, than by using the power of word-of-mouth advertising ...with recommendations from your present, satisfied customers. Put this power to work now and watch your profits and your list of customers multiply.
That’s why direct selling is so dramatically successful as a method of marketing every imaginable product and service, and why direct selling is such a great business in which to be. As a direct salesperson conversationally telling another person why you like a particular product, you are much more convincing advertisement than any TV commercial or magazine ad.
The tremendous persuasiveness of your personal endorsement of a product is what word-of-mouth advertising is all about. Much to the chagrin of professional ad agencies, such word-of-mouth advertising cannot be purchased. But you, as a direct salesperson, can put this special type of advertising power to work for your business.
Because you are fortunate to be on friendly, personal terms with your customers, you can enlist their aid in promoting your services. You can actually turn your present customers into a personal advertising department. All you need to do is master the right way to ask for their help.
Develop Personal Relations
If you learn how to properly ask for their help, your customers will enthusiastically go to work advertising your business. This will help promote your services, lead you to scores of new services, and give you all the valuable benefits of word-of-mouth advertising. There are two types:
- The customer actually becomes an advertising agent and tells others about you and the service you provide.
- The customer gives you referrals to people who may be good prospects and allows you to use their name as an endorsement.
Avoid Pressure
The most important thing to remember is that this kind of help cannot be bought from your customers. It must never seem like you are offering a bribe in exchange for a list of names. As a rule, people will not “sell” their friends to you. Offering an “inducement” also might raise doubts about the quality of your services. If they are as good as you say they are, why should you bribe people for their recommendations?
Remember two very important things about human nature: first, people usually enjoy telling others about products they try and like. Second, people like to be appreciated. One way they get appreciated is by being helpful to others.
In short, offer an incentive for help without appearing to be paying for it.
Show Appreciation
In this way, you’re thanking the person, not bribing them. They’ll be pleased, won’t feel guilty, and will be more willing the next time you ask.
The next time you call on that customer you should remember to again thank them for their help. Report to them on the reactions of the prospects they suggested. Let the person you know you did call on them, that Mrs. Jones did become a customer and purchased such and such, and that Mrs. Walters was interested but wished to purchase at a later date.
In many cases, after reporting these results, you can obtain a couple of additional prospects from them.
Prospects are the lifeblood of your business. Your greatest asset in direct sales is your inventory of prospective new customers. And there is no better way to maintain that inventory, converting prospects to customers, than by using the power of word-of-mouth advertising ...with recommendations from your present, satisfied customers. Put this power to work now and watch your profits and your list of customers multiply.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
How To Increase The 3 R’s Of Good Salesmanship
Last week I started a discussion on increasing the 3 R's of sales; Retention, Referrals and repeat sales. I'm going to wrap it up below, plus 4 ways to implement them into your markeitng campaigns.
You cannot match all this competition blow for blow, dollar for dollar. The secret is to do things to stay on top of your customers’ consciousness. Being remembered and well-thought of is half the battle!
You’ve probably heard this adage: out of sight, out of mind. If you’re out of the customer’s mind at the moment he needs something you sell or at the moment a competing salesperson contacts him, you’ll lose out on repeat business from that customer.
Another old adage also applies. It is: what you take for granted, you lose. If your customer feels ignored or neglected and thinks your only interest is the dollars your earn from his orders, you’re likely to lose him to someone else.
Your objective, then, is to mount a planned campaign to let the customer know that you care about him, value the relationship and are eager to be of service.
Here are a few ideas for your campaign:
1. Organize your customers on a mailing list. Send mailings to those on the list at least six times a year. This contact program might include a Christmas card, mailings about new products and services, news about special offers and thank you notes for orders you have gotten. You can use letters, flyers, and postcards. The important thing is that the customer is periodically reminded that you are ready to be of service, and that you are eager to keep him posted on special opportunities.
2. In most businesses, you’ll sell more and increase your value to the customer by teaching proper, most effective usage of what you sell. Some salespeople collect new product use ideas and tips from their customers, put them together in tip-sheets and occasionally mail these out to all their customers. This kind of information can even form the basis for a newsletter that can be sent to customers several times a year.
3. Advertising specialties such as pens, calendars, scratch pads and items useful to your customers, imprinted with your name and identification information, frequently remind your customers to do business with you. Choose items appropriate for your customers and your business. Visual reminders are a good investment.
4. Develop special opportunities to contact clients. One salesman, for example, keeps a ticker file of his clients and their wedding anniversary dates. He calls each one a week a ahead of time to remind them of their anniversary. Special strategies like this can create tremendous goodwill and loyalty.
The salesperson who survives on the basis of one sale at a time is constantly in search of the next new customer. He cheats himself with his shortsightedness. Because of his lack of planning, he is constantly under pressure and stress.
Choose, instead, to build a reliable customer base that will provide you with repeat business and referrals. Like other professionals, your success depends on the relationships you establish and the reputation you build for yourself. If you do your job properly, you can build a business that will be rewarding...one that will provide a secure financial future for you and your family.
www.3dmailresults.com
You cannot match all this competition blow for blow, dollar for dollar. The secret is to do things to stay on top of your customers’ consciousness. Being remembered and well-thought of is half the battle!
You’ve probably heard this adage: out of sight, out of mind. If you’re out of the customer’s mind at the moment he needs something you sell or at the moment a competing salesperson contacts him, you’ll lose out on repeat business from that customer.
Another old adage also applies. It is: what you take for granted, you lose. If your customer feels ignored or neglected and thinks your only interest is the dollars your earn from his orders, you’re likely to lose him to someone else.
Your objective, then, is to mount a planned campaign to let the customer know that you care about him, value the relationship and are eager to be of service.
Here are a few ideas for your campaign:
1. Organize your customers on a mailing list. Send mailings to those on the list at least six times a year. This contact program might include a Christmas card, mailings about new products and services, news about special offers and thank you notes for orders you have gotten. You can use letters, flyers, and postcards. The important thing is that the customer is periodically reminded that you are ready to be of service, and that you are eager to keep him posted on special opportunities.
2. In most businesses, you’ll sell more and increase your value to the customer by teaching proper, most effective usage of what you sell. Some salespeople collect new product use ideas and tips from their customers, put them together in tip-sheets and occasionally mail these out to all their customers. This kind of information can even form the basis for a newsletter that can be sent to customers several times a year.
3. Advertising specialties such as pens, calendars, scratch pads and items useful to your customers, imprinted with your name and identification information, frequently remind your customers to do business with you. Choose items appropriate for your customers and your business. Visual reminders are a good investment.
4. Develop special opportunities to contact clients. One salesman, for example, keeps a ticker file of his clients and their wedding anniversary dates. He calls each one a week a ahead of time to remind them of their anniversary. Special strategies like this can create tremendous goodwill and loyalty.
The salesperson who survives on the basis of one sale at a time is constantly in search of the next new customer. He cheats himself with his shortsightedness. Because of his lack of planning, he is constantly under pressure and stress.
Choose, instead, to build a reliable customer base that will provide you with repeat business and referrals. Like other professionals, your success depends on the relationships you establish and the reputation you build for yourself. If you do your job properly, you can build a business that will be rewarding...one that will provide a secure financial future for you and your family.
www.3dmailresults.com
Thursday, October 9, 2008
How To Increase The 3 R’s Of Good Salesmanship
We're going to touch on the 3 R's of salesmanship here: Retention, referrals and repeat sales. Below is the start of my discussion. I'll pick it up early next week so be sure to come back and check it out.
Getting a new customer is a very small part of selling. One-shot sales, however, don’t help you to build a predictable, secure and growing business. It takes more than glib talk, a big smile, shined shoes and a few glowing promises to build customer loyalty and repeat business.
The key to a consistent income in selling is the development of clientele. The salesperson who carefully develops positive relationships with his customers builds a strong foundation for his future. When enough customers are firmly established, you can expect repeat business and an assured income that provides a firm foundation for your livelihood. That’s what professionals call a “customer base”.
The salesperson can go back to these customers with new products or services with the knowledge that they will get a favorable reception. It’s also likely that the positive attitudes that have been established will make it easier to get referrals.
The building of relationships with customers is the key to keeping them, getting repeat business from them, and acquiring referrals. It can be the difference between worrying about your next meal and having a reliable income base.
Why don’t salespeople make it a priority to build strong relationships with their clients? One reason is simple laziness. It takes time and effort. Consequently, many salespeople ignore this part of their job.
Another reason is competition. This competition takes many forms. It’s not only other salespeople selling similar products. It’s an enormous amount of competition from innumerable sources for your customer’s interest, attention and dollars.
www.3dmailresults.com
Getting a new customer is a very small part of selling. One-shot sales, however, don’t help you to build a predictable, secure and growing business. It takes more than glib talk, a big smile, shined shoes and a few glowing promises to build customer loyalty and repeat business.
The key to a consistent income in selling is the development of clientele. The salesperson who carefully develops positive relationships with his customers builds a strong foundation for his future. When enough customers are firmly established, you can expect repeat business and an assured income that provides a firm foundation for your livelihood. That’s what professionals call a “customer base”.
The salesperson can go back to these customers with new products or services with the knowledge that they will get a favorable reception. It’s also likely that the positive attitudes that have been established will make it easier to get referrals.
The building of relationships with customers is the key to keeping them, getting repeat business from them, and acquiring referrals. It can be the difference between worrying about your next meal and having a reliable income base.
Why don’t salespeople make it a priority to build strong relationships with their clients? One reason is simple laziness. It takes time and effort. Consequently, many salespeople ignore this part of their job.
Another reason is competition. This competition takes many forms. It’s not only other salespeople selling similar products. It’s an enormous amount of competition from innumerable sources for your customer’s interest, attention and dollars.
www.3dmailresults.com
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