Referral Flood Blog

Turn Blah Advertising Into Referral Advertising

If you provide a service for homeowners or call on businesses located in office buildings this tip will give you a way to turn an advertising message into a referral message.

When your service technician visits a home to do some repair work, incentivize them to hang some door hangers on surrounding homes. Now, of course, everyone does that right? Well, the key to making this work is to also leave a space on the door hanger for the technician to write a note. "We just completed some work for Ted and Betty at 1933 and they thought you would like this 10% off coupon." - all of a sudden you've got a referral.

You can also fire this approach up through the mail. Get a criss-cross directory that lists homeowners by street and every time you schedule some work, send a letter to surrounding neighbors with this same coupon type message. Better still, give Ted and Betty a 10% discount and quote them singing your praises in the letter.

You can take this same approach in office building. "Hi, I was just upgrading Acme Accounting's network and they thought you could use this 10% off coupon."

Put your printer to use creating all kinds of these leave behinds but make sure that you make space to turn them into referrals.

What If Your Guarantee Was Astonishing?

The use of a guarantee as a way to reduce a potential buyer's risk has long been employed by savvy marketing people.

In some circles, a guarantee has become a required aspect of the sales process.

But, what if you did more. What if you created a guarantee that did far more than simply warranty satisfaction or guarantee "risk-free" shopping.

What if you created a guarantee that was astonishing?

What's an astonishing guarantee? It's one that makes you nervous - and that's the point.

If you could create and communicate a guarantee that nobody in your industry would even consider, you would automatically have two very powerful things going for you.

1. A core marketing message that would differentiate you from your competition
2. A forced focus on delivering excellence and winning loyal, repeat customers

An astonishing guarantee turns heads - "Try our service for 90 days and if we don't perform exactly as promised we will double your money back."

An astonishing guarantee generates buzz - "They promised what?"

An astonishing guarantee creates a mission - "Okay, troops, there's only one job - happy clients - What needs fixing?"

What could you promise that no one else would dream of? That's the start of an astonishing guarantee.

Laserfit, an Austrualian men's customer tailor and Referral Flood owner, had this to say recently about generating referrals.

"As yet I have not got my system together but I have started by setting the expectation that our customers refer us to their friends and colleagues if they are happy. If they agree, we offer them a bonus on their first purchase. I have been really surprised at how enthusiastic these customers become when they have 'skin in the game.' "

Laserfit is doing some pretty creative marketing, including using a blog that allows clients and prospects to see what they are up to in the world of marketing. What I really want to emphasize though, is the comment about enthusiastic customers. One of the great motivators of all human beings is winning, or at least attempting to win. If you can create a referral system, or really any marketing offer, that allows people to see themselves playing and winning a game, they may become motivated beyond your wildest expectations.

Referrals Are A Matter Of Motivation

Most small business owners miss the boat when it comes to getting a constant flow of referrals because they start off in the wrong direction.

If they seek referrals at all, most small business owners head straight to their clients. Now, your existing clients can be a good source of referrals. And when you think about it, who better to sing your praises than someone who has actually experienced your rare abilities.

The problem though is that your existing clients don't have much motivation.

When it comes to figuring out a referral marketing system, the number one question you need to answer is this. Who is, or can be convinced to be, highly motivated to refer business to me?

When you look at it from that point of view you begin to realize that no matter who you approach you better be able to propose a motivation that has something in it for them.

In most cases, the best referral sources, those that can be motivated, are businesses like yours that sell to the same target market. Think strategic partners!

There are many ways to motivate this type of referral lead source. You likely have something they want or can at least propose a way for them to get more of what they want. I'm afraid it's hard to say the same for your clients.

One of the best way to put this thinking on steroids is to think in terms of building your very own strategic partner network. Try to fill every need your clients have by plugging in and referring members of your private network. If you do this, you will never need to search for business again.

Systematically Flood Your Leads With An Education

One of the tactics I love to employ in the landing of new clients is something I call an "Info Storm." Here's the basic idea. You meet a new prospect, go over the solutions you have for and then jointly decide on some next steps involved in them hiring you. Now, most people go away promising to send a proposal or follow-up in some manner. But, what also happens it that 3 other people slip in later that day and make a fine proposal for that same piece of business.

So, what do you do to keep your name on top of the stack as the decision process unfolds? Most people just do what they said they would do or worse. Others pick-up the phone and "check-in." Here's what I suggest you do. Don't beg for the business, make yourself the obvious choice.

• By the end of the week, find a way to refer a prospect or necessary contact to your lead
• Send them an article that discusses some point of interest you know they have
• Drop them a copy of a press release you just sent to the media
• Send them a free report, checklist or tool you know they will appreciate.

Here's the key to this storm. Don't ask for the order, don't try to get and appointment, don't call. Just keep sending them this perfectly scripted, useful information and watch what happens. I can hear sales trainers all over the world moaning about the subtleness of this approach but there is something very appealing about simply being there, giving great information and waiting.

Oh, and there's something very referable about someone who sells this way! And the best part, It can all be automated while you're out there knocking more doors down.

How To Move Up The Referral Food Chain

This post will smack some as a tad elitist or politically incorrect but, I'm about to explain a referral marketing fact of life.

People can only refer down the food chain (or maybe in the same food group)

What I mean by that is that is, if you are counting a person to refer the VP of sales for a Fortune 500 company, and that person is seen by the VP of Sales as vendor and not as an equal, good luck. Now, understand that in many cases this is simply a function of title, socioeconomic class or even age - but it's also a function of value.

Plenty of high level executives in your network may not be able to refer you to their peers because even their peers don't see them as valued partners. The food chain rewards value.

And the flip side of that! Plenty of seemingly lower level folks provide so much value in the networking relationships they create, doors open for them in mysterious ways.

With all this said, here's what I'm getting at:

1. If you want to make contact with a higher level (title, income, celebrity status, thought leader, mover-shaker) of prospect you must move out of your current level of network and start breaking in to higher level networks. Quick, how many people in your current network group can and do refer you to executives that are seemingly out of your reach?
2. If you want to break into a network seen higher than the ones you currently play in provide value. Give before your even ask in return. Prove your worth. Be a coach, consultant or information source that outshines all others and the doors to this higher network will open. And when they do, the referrals you receive will be a little higher on the food chain too.

Cultivate a Culture For Referrals

Referrals don't just happen. Well, that's not entirely true. If you are doing a good job for your clients, the occasional accidental referral will likely come your way.

The idea should be to make referrals happen intentionally. I work with a large number of independent professionals and they seem to have this deep belief that asking for referrals is somehow a bad thing. Get over it. If you provide a service that brings some good into a person's life, or perhaps even the world, then you owe it that client to make sure that their friends, family and associates receive that good as well.

      So, how do you create a culture of referrals.
    * Make it part of the deal - introduce the fact that you work primarily by referral at the very first contact with a prospect.

    * State it in your marketing materials - Stamp "We love referrals" on your envelopes before you mail them.

    * Make it part of your networking message - "Hey Bill, how's it going?" "Business is great but we are always looking for more people who want financial independence."

    * Approach it systematically - Hold referral lunches with your clients. Let them know that once a year you will meet to strategize about referrals.

    * Teach it - Teach your vendors, clients, partners how to refer you and how to get referrals themselves.

    * Give Referrals - One of the greatest ways to cultivate a referral mentality is to be on the lookout for ways to refer others.