Get Serious about Client Referrals
"Try not to become a man (or woman!) of success, but rather a man
of value."
—Albert Einstein
“It’s fine for you to say that you provide a great service,
but when someone else says it, it instantly has more impact…especially
when it comes from a trusted friend or contact.” — From “Building
a Referral Friendly Business”
Close to seventy percent of US consumers say they are more likely to
make a purchase if a friend or family member recommends it. This month,
we’ll dive into creating a referral program, a specific and easy-to-implement
type of word-of-mouth
marketing. Because many people will respond more
readily to a recommendation from someone they know, energizing your
referral program has the potential for a high return on a small investment
of time and money.
Make it easy
Make it easy for your clients to talk to other people about you by
giving them something to pass on. This will:
- Increase the likelihood that a
referral will be acted on.
- Give you a chance to control the
message that gets passed on.
- Provide your clients something of value to
share with others. For example, when a client brings up the needs
of a particular friend, give them a brochure,
massage newsletter or information
sheet that speaks to that person’s
situation. As always, make sure your contact information is on everything
you hand out.
Three direct ways to pass on your name
There’s no substitute for simply asking your clients to recommend
their friends and family to you. Here are three good tools for helping
clients pass on your name.
You can make an attractive and
effective recommendation card using a postcard. On the postcard,
say something like, "I love referrals! Please bring this in for $15
off your first session. For appointments or more information, call me
at...." For more ideas on personalizing a postcard, see our Personalization
page.
Make a special version of your business
card with a referral
message.
Make a version of your regular business
card with a special offer on the back.
With one offer, boost referrals
and reach out to people who may or may not be your regular clients.
Mail a special postcard with a discount offer to friends, relatives,
colleagues and clients including inactive or irregular clients. Below
the offer say, “If you’re not going to use this offer, feel
free to pass it on to a friend who would like to try my services.”
Natural opportunities to make connections
There are many natural ways to bring your wish for referrals to your
clients’ attention.
in their lives, ask if you can give them some recommendations
or business cards to pass on. One very effective time to ask for
referrals is after a massage, for instance when clients are rescheduling.
for
their business. Include some business cards, and ask them to pass
them on.
with your brochures or newsletters wherever you display or mail them.
Also leave a stack on your desk, so it’s easy to ask clients
to take a few with them.
In you're interested, here's more on how
to create a successful referral program.
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