All business owners know that referrals are one of the most valuable sources of new business. Not only do they bring in qualified leads, but they also come with built-in levels of trust and credibility. What can you do to generate more referrals for your business? Here are six unique ideas to help you get started.
1. Host a referral contest.
This is where you incentivize your customers to refer as many people as possible within a set timeframe. The person who refers the most new customers wins a prize. This can be a fun way to generate excitement and encourage your customers to get involved.
2. Use social media.
Social media is a powerful tool for generating referrals. Use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to reach out to your existing customers and encourage them to refer their friends and family. You can also use social media to offer exclusive promotions to your followers, which can incentivize them to refer more people.
“Especially in casual contexts like social media, people trust their friends’ recommendations far more than ads and messages that come straight from brands,” writes Jessica Huhn on ReferralRock.com, “If someone shares and raves about your brand on social, this word-of-mouth marketing is very potent.”
3. Offer exceptional customer service.
One of the best ways to generate referrals is to offer exceptional customer service. When your customers have positive experiences with your business, they will be more likely to refer their friends and family. Make sure to go above and beyond to exceed your customers’ expectations. As well, always follow up with them to ensure their satisfaction.
4. Collaborate with other businesses.
Collaborating with other businesses can be a great way to generate referrals. Find businesses that complement your own and offer to cross-promote each other’s services. For example, if you’re a wedding photographer, you could partner with a wedding planner and offer a joint referral program.
Karen C. Wilson Consulting offers up another example: “If you’re a yoga instructor and there’s a workout studio nearby, offering a discount on a program or access to free sessions for relevant referrals might be appropriate as it’s clear health and well-being are important pillars for them and their brand.”
5. Create shareable content.
Creating shareable content is another way to generate referrals. This can be anything from a blog post to an infographic to a video. Make sure the content is interesting, informative and relevant to your target audience. Encourage your existing customers to share the content with their own networks, which can help to generate new referrals.
6. Offer a referral program.
One of the easiest ways to generate referrals is to offer a referral program. This is where you offer incentives to your existing customers for referring new customers to your business. The incentives can be anything from discounts to gift cards to free services. By offering something of value, you’re encouraging your customers to spread the word about your business.
At Unity Payments, we offer a wide range of products and services that allow you to have multiple revenue streams, cost saving tools and the benefit of economies of scale. Among them are referral programs! They complement your business with aggressive compensation, sales automation and complete back end support. Please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761 or email us at info@unitypayments.ca to discuss your needs.
