One of the most effective ways to generate new business is to encourage customer referrals. That is, you can use the influence of happy customers to help your business continue to grow without having to rely on constant advertising.
Most Businesses Can’t Survive on Referrals Alone
Referrals from colleagues and friends that turn into sales are the easiest and cheapest money you can make. These types of sales are often what new small businesses are started on. The problem is that many who start out with referral sales end up relying too much on them. This is the case especially with those individuals who decide to become independent contractors. They don’t realize that referrals can end up being far and few between and that they also have no control over when they may come around.
How to Reap Relative Rewards With Referrals
A recent issue of Global Internet Marketing News (http://linz1.net/GIM.html) reported an interested piece on how word-of-mouth advertising is statistically getting more nods from the online business community let alone the marketplace. Entitled “Word-of-Mouth Drives E-commerce,” the article pulled some interesting facts from a recent three-part study.
Asking for Referrals, Getting Them and Keeping Them, Part I
I’m a professional coach. I’m not in it to see if I like it, or how much I can make how fast, or because it’s the latest fad. I’m in it because it’s my profession. I love the work and I’m in it for the long haul. It took years to learn the skills and build the practice base and my product is people’s lives. Therefore, yes, I take it seriously, and I think most professionals do. When I refer someone to someone else for professional services, this is going to reflect on my judgment, and also on how I care for my clients.
Need to Know How to Get Referrals?
I’m a coach. I’m not in it to see if I like it, or how much I can make how fast, or because it’s the latest fad. I’m in it because it’s my profession. I’m in it for the long haul. It took years to learn the skills and build the practice base. Therefore, I take it seriously. When I refer someone to someone else for professional services, this is going to have repercussions for me and my practice. At the same time, my practice depends upon referrals; they’re my lifeblood. Here’s what I’ve learned about them.
How to Get Referrals
I’m a coach and I help coaches and other professionals market their services. Referrals are my lifeblood. Here’s what I’ve learned about them.
Increase Your Bottom Line Through Referrals
There’s a therapist in my hometown who bills 55 hours a week and has a waiting list of several months of clients trying to get in to see him.
He owns a business card. That’s the extent of his marketing. He doesn’t even have a sign on his door. He couldn’t really market, he doesn’t have the time. He’s in his office 10 hours a day making money hand over fist.