As a small business owner making the most of the tools that we have available to us is a great way to grow your business. One of the easiest and most effective tools around is a referral. A referral comes to us usually from a satisfied customer or another person that we know that is familiar with our business and knows that we would treat their customer right.
Knowing how to get referrals is a great place to start. There are many ways that you can get referrals so let’s look at some of the more common practices and see how yo can put them to work in your business.
Ask for the referral – One of the easiest ways to get a referral from someone you know is to simply ask. Friends and family are the obvious places to start since they know you, your work ethics, and your business. Simply saying “Who do you know that may be interested in my services” should be easy enough and most people will respond with a positive message.
After a job is completed – You can ask your own customer once a job is completed and they are satisfied. People love to share positive experiences with others and that is the best time to ask for a referral.
Build trust with other small businesses – Working with other small businesses is a great way to build trust and garner referrals. People want to refer others only when they know that their friend and client is going to be taken care of properly. You can join networking groups that work closely together to get to know each other and form a tight circle of reliable services and business owners.
Follow up – Once you are given a referral, make sure to follow up with that person immediately, even if you think they make not be the right client for you. So many times great information and additional referrals are lost by simply not following up! Plus, not following up can cause the person that gave you the referral to lose trust and stop giving referrals too!
Offer great service – Your best service is required to those that come from a referral. Not only do you need to impress the customer, but chances are high that your services will be discussed with the person who originally referred you. Don’t lose business by not giving excellent service.
Don't expect a referral but give referrals to others because it’s right – Never expect a referral but always be willing to give one. Not only it is the right thing to do, but it could bring referrals to you in the long run. We all know what goes around will come around too.
Referrals are a precious commodity. You never know who people know so make sure to ask when appropriate, give to others, and treat every referral like your best customer. Soon referrals will come to you in unexpected ways.