Howdy Friend,
Getting lots of word of mouth
advertising can be an excellent tool in your marketing bag ‘o tricks.
Make no bones about it . . . there
is nothing better than getting a new customer as a result of a referral from
one of your current customers. All businesses can greatly benefit from this
type of marketing. This includes your business too!
So everybody seems to know what
referrals are but tend to take them for granted. This is one area of marketing
that is approached rather casually, even haphazardly. Hence the results are
poor at best.
And that’s what I want to talk to
you about today . . . getting more biz from word of mouth advertising.
Here’s the cool thing . . . it’s not
really that difficult to do once you know the secrets I’m going to share with
you.
As you know all the best things in
life are free . . . our minds, the air we breathe, our family and friends and
referrals.
Even though referrals cost you
nothing—at least in compared to paid advertising space, you do have to earn them. By this I mean you should be
doing an outstanding job of serving your customers better than anyone else.
Walt Disney said, “Do what you do so well that people can’t resist telling
others about you.”
This makes me think of marketing
guru Dan Kennedy. He’s one top-shelf direct response marketing copywriters and
consultants. He’s also an excellent teacher and mentor.
As you can see Dan wears several
different business hats one of which is a well-known, highly respected speaker.
The funny thing is he doesn’t promote himself as a speaker per-se. He doesn’t
have to. Since 1978 he’s averaged over 70 paid speaking engagements each year with
more than half coming from referrals!
How can this be? It’s simple really.
He focuses on what is important to his
clients and they are excited to share this excitement with their peers and
customers. In other words, Dan provides exceptional service and value to each
and every one of his clients, peers and colleagues. And it pays handsomely in
the way of referrals.
Could you do this? Why yes you can!
You may have to redirect your thinking a bit by starting with the EAR formula.
Here
what it stands for:
I’m already hinted what the E stands
for. It’s Earn. You’ve gotta earn
referrals. Even though many good things in life are free, some you still
must earn before you get.
You could also think of “E” as
excellent. Your satisfied clients are going to refer you for being good. But if
you “wow” them this excellence you’re going to get more than your fair share of
referrals.
Here’s what I mean. Let me tell you
about this children’s dentist that multiplied his practice 10 times over
without spending a single dime extra on marketing or advertising.
He came up with a list of 300 things
to change in his practice. A few of these ideas included:
Totally
redesigning his office to become more kid
friendly and provide comfort to his “short clients.” He also lowered the
reception staff area so that they were eye level with his patients.
Imagine
you the “kid” picking out your own
dentist! New patients could pick
their dentist. This is easy because the patient giant photos of each dentist.
The poster-like photos also included information about their hobbies and
interests.
FREE
BIKES! Are you kidding me? Our dentist
developed a “home care follow-through Report Card” for their parents to fill
out. You make all A’s and get a free bicycle! Talk about thinking outside the
box. Little Suzy cruising the neighborhood on her new bike and is asked who got
you the bike and she answers, “My dentist.”
One
up service provider. As
you know not many dentists or any other health provider as far as that goes
calls their patients after a visit or procedure. This dentist broke all the
rules and calls each new patient following the treatment and checks on his
patient. He also calls each parent the day after the child’s treatment. Now
that’s top shelf service. Could you do something similar in your business? Put
your thinking cap on and get creative and I’m sure you could come up with
better ways to serve your customers better than your competitors.
Could
I get your autograph?
You’re a new patient and you leave the office for the first time, you get an
autographed 8X10 glossy of your dentist and dental assistant! Again, raising
the bar in his practice.
Are you starting to see the
possibilities here? Guess who’s name comes up again and again at office
lunches, family events, PTA meetings—if you guessed little Suzy’s
unconventional dentist, you’d be correct.
Ask and you shall receive. It’s a
natural fact . . . if you don’t ask, you will not receive. Sounds pretty basic
doesn’t it? You’d be amazed at how few businesses have a weak referral
expectations or do nothing to encourage their customers to bring referrals.
Here’s three ways to ask for
referrals:
1.
Use a display board
to showcase customers, clients or patients who have referred that month. This
sets the expectations and essentially says, “Our customer refer –we expect you
to do the same.” Think about how you could do this in your company. The sky’s
the limit.
2.
Referral Promotions
makes the day. Why not make a contest and give away prizes to the customers who
generate the most referrals in a certain time period. Make it easy for your
customers to bring you new customers by endorsing coupons, discounts or certificates
for gifts to hand out to friends, family or colleagues. Again put on your
creative thinking cap to come up cool and unique promotions.
3.
How about Referral Events. I learned about an insurance agent that throws himself and
killer birthday party each. He invites all of his friends and clients and
encourages them to bring all the friends they want to the bash. The event is
held in a huge tent complete with live entertainment, drinks, food—the whole
deal. This event generates hundreds of prospects for our birthday boy.
Give
me an “R” for Reward and Recognize.
These tend to go hand in hand. We all like to feel appreciated and rewarded for
our efforts. This works in parenting and it works in business too.
When your clients and customers
bring you referrals make a big deal out it. Why? Because it IS a big deal. Think
about times when you sent business to friend or colleague and they thanked you
or sent you a gift to show their appreciation. It made you feel appreciated.
And I bet you wanted to refer more prospect to that business, right?
By doing an outstanding job and
going on and beyond the norm, you are not only providing a great service to
your customers well, but also others too.
Want to really stand out and
encourage your customers to send you more business? How about sending them a
reward of some kind. It’s doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. It could
be a gift card to one of the favorite shopping places or a box of steaks from
say Omaha Steaks Company. If your best clients have sent you tons of referral
business, whatever gift you decide to send them is peanuts compared to the
value you’ve received.
Warmly,
Emette E. Massey
P.S. Want to put your
business into hyper drive? Click Here
to Get my FREE REPORT that show’s 9
remarkable ways to increase your sales and profits!
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