How to get more referrals!
Are you truly grateful, or just too busy to be grateful? Today I would like to talk to you about some great strategies and techniques I use on how to get more referrals!
“In marketing I’ve seen only one strategy that can’t miss – and that is to market to your best customers first, your best prospects second and the rest of the world last.” John Romero
Saying thank you to someone is one thing, but demonstrating appreciation is another.
So this week I would like to talk to you about acknowledgement and appreciation.
A common question I get asked is, Kevin, What can I do to get more referrals to help build my business?
It’s simple.
Acknowledgment and Appreciation.
It’s the little things that matter and if you are not doing these things then frankly you are taking your customers and clients for granted. Never a good thing considering how competitive the market is and how many choices today’s consumer has.
So how do you show Acknowledgement and Appreciation?
1) Hand written thank you cards/notes
After every deal my clients get a personalized thank you for the business. In my opinion this is as IMPORTANT to your business as prospecting and marketing. Think about it, who do you think is more likely to give you more business? Someone who has never used you before or someone who has used your product or service and had a great experience with you? The answer seems fairly obvious, but you will be amazed at how many sales people and business owners are too lazy to send out thank you cards.
2) 1 year business anniversary letters with something of value attached.
Not only do I thank clients for doing business with me, they get get an anniversary letter from me every year thanking them – plus I include some sort of special promotion – just for them – again personalized.
3) Christmas Cards
If you want to make a real impact – hand deliver them over a lunch. Christmas time is my favorite time of the year, and not just for the reasons you might think. I love visiting people and it’s a great time of the year to strengthen existing relationships!
4) The Follow Up Call
A 2 minute follow call cannot be stressed enough. There is simply no reason as a sales rep not to know how you are doing with your clients/customers. “Heh Bob, how’s everything? How did we do on our last order?”
5) Invitations to trade shows / conventions
I like to send customers 2 to 4 FREE invitations to trade shows and conventions and ask them if they know anyone in our industry that might also like to go. This way my client looks good because they are the one doing the inviting, and it’s a win for me because I get to meet more prospects who are introduced to me personally by my client base.
So the next time you are pondering “getting more referrals” think appreciation and acknowledgement!
Would you like to learn practical sales skills and strategies on how to get your foot in the door, book more sales appointments and dramatically improve your sales results?
Kevin Boyle
Author / Public Speaker / Sales Trainer and Coach
“The Secrets to Sales Mastery”
ps – Did you enjoy this post? Do you have any tricks or tips for getting more referrals? Please feel free to add your comments!
More great articles are coming your way!
How to get more referrals
