As the market continues to expand with more services and more products for your customers to choose from; a growing challenge for businesses is to stand out as ‘The one to go to” (for the type of service or product your business offers).
Turning to your current and/or past clients/customers for their referral business is not only a smart and practical way to grow your business, it’s EASY!
Here are 10 straight forward and easy (yes, easy) ways to grow your business and client base.
1. See your clients NOT as just mere ‘business’, but as a budding relationships.
Friends help friends.
2. Tell you clients just how important their referral support is to your success.
People want to help others – and love to know when they are doing something good for another. Let your clients and friends know that there referral support will not only help the person they refer succeed, but they will be helping you succeed as well.
3. Ask for them!
I know, obvious, but so many business owners are afraid to just ask for them.
Here is some sample dialogue for you to try: Address one of your clients/customers today and simply ask – “Of all the people in your office (or of all of your closest friends) which person do you think would be the most interested in the product/service I offer?”
4. Begin at the beginning
Instead of waiting later in a client/customer relationship to ASK for referral support….(which for some can be uncomfortable) begin TELLING your prospects/new clients at the very beginning that receiving referral support from your clients is HOW you do business.
5. Express yourself!
Let your clients know ALL that you do. Believe me, most are thinking the only thing you do or offer is exactly what they get from you. Explain through stories, examples, or by flat out telling them the FULL RANGE of what you are able to offer.
6. Keep improving – go for mastery.
The better you become at what you do or know, the more confident you naturally come off to others – thereby creating more confidence in THEM to easily refer you to the people in their life as “THE ONE to go to.”
7. Shift the burden.
Many business owners are afraid that asking for referrals from their customers/clients puts an unwanted burden on them. (They feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask for ‘help.’) So, shift your belief or understanding. When you ask your clients to refer their friends or colleagues to you, YOU (once again) are HELPING MORE PEOPLE. (The burden stays on you and off of them!)
8. Create Exclusivity!
Create an experience for your customers/clients that feels (and is) exclusively just for them. HOW you do business should definitely stand out (and apart) from your competition. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Keep it simple – yet clearly beneficial to your clients/customers.
9. Go Long (think Life long relationship)
Let your clients/customers know you are interested in serving them for the long haul. Sometimes it won’t occur to a client/customer to return to you for your product or service. Let them know you would like to serve them as long as they need the product or service you are providing to them.
10. Keep it Easy – Keep it Simple.
People love easy and simple (isn’t that why you are reading this top ten?). Whatever your product or service, make the experience of working with you as easy and simple for your customer/client as possible. Make registration, payment, etc. as easy and comfortable an experience as possible.
*11. Give a litte extra – ‘and make em feel special’
You know how hotels fold down the toilet paper corners in your bathroom when they prepare and turn down your room? “I just love this.” I love it because they don’t have to do it (and we don’t require it for a good night stay) but it sure is a nice little (extra) touch.
They are the small extra touches like these that can make your client feel just a bit more special or taken care of by you. (And who wouldn’t return and/or rave about that)
Laura Burkey has been a life and business coach since 1996 and has coached hundreds of successful people (all over the world) to achieve whatever goal they decide is important and worthwhile to them.
Laura invites anyone who has a serious desire for new or better results in their life to call her and discuss how you can create and achieve what you want – faster and easier with your own personal coach.
