How Do You Measure Up?
There are numerous benefits to having your clients refer people to you. Some are obvious:
- Referral customers are easier to sell to when they know a friend that has used your product or service.
- The Referred Customer is likely interacting with people similar to themselves ( your target market or ideal clients).
- More referrals (word of mouth) will increase your bottom line.
Then there are more subtle advantages:
- When you receive a referral from a client, it is a great “natural reason” to follow up with your original client, use these simple reconnect points to ensure you have a minimum of 12 interactions with a client over the year.
- If your client sees a good fit between you and her friend, this well-matched customer can produce higher profits than an unrelated prospect.
- The number of referrals you get can a reflect the quality of customer service you are providing.
If you have not had a lot of referrals, it may be time to reflect on:
- Are you actively asking for referrals? – 91 % of customers say they will give a referral, but only 11% of sales people ask for referrals.
- Are you giving good customer service? – If you are asking for referrals, and not receiving them, look at your level of customer satisfaction. Ask yourself: Do I follow-up with my clients in the promised time frame? Do I go above and beyond to make my clients feel special and appreciated? Do I clearly stand out over my competition, and if so, what makes me different?
The next step is to ask your best clients why they would or would not send referrals your way.