How To Create An Abundant Flow Of Perfect Customers
Topics: referral marketing, asking for referrals, getting more customers
What is the greatest weapon a small business can have in its marketing arsenal? Most marketing experts and small business owners alike agree that the single most cost effective and efficient way to grow any business is with referrals.
And yet, few of the small business owners that I surveyed recently had a strategy in place to generate referrals (36 out of 37, to be exact). If you’re among them, you might want to reconsider. There are several great reasons to develop a referral marketing strategy.
First, when compared to radio ads, display ads, and even direct mail, referral marketing is extremely inexpensive.
The leads you generate through referral marketing are exceedingly more qualified than leads you acquire through any other means.
Referred leads are more familiar with your business and less concerned with price than other leads.
Studies show that referred leads are much easier to “close” than other leads (I really don’t like the concept of “closing”, but that’s a subject for another day.)
I’ve had a referral strategy in place in my own businesses for years. One of the side benefits that has cropped out of this strategy is that I’m so much happier in my day-to-day work life. I know that probably sounds corny, but consider this:
The large majority of my new clients are referred to me by current clients whom I already like and get along with, and who already know what I am looking for in a client. So I end up with a whole crop of my perfect clients who I enjoy working with, who don’t bicker about my pricing and who are ready to make a move on growing their business.
I don’t have to sit around for days waiting for new leads to decide if they want to work with me or not. They’ve already seen my work, they already know how I do business, and I’ve received an implied endorsement from the client who referred them.
Don’t underestimate how important all that is to your productivity and stress-levels. Having a referral strategy is critical to increasing your productivity, lowering your stress and growing your business.
You can start generating your own referrals by following these easy steps:
1. Identify your ideal clients. These are the clients you want to ask for referrals so you’re sure to get more like-minded individuals.
2. Tell your clients what it is you like about them to ensure they refer individuals with the same traits and characteristics.
3. Don’t wait until the project is over before you ask for a referral. Make your request before your client’s excitement wanes.
4. Personally follow up on the referral immediately.
5. Thank your client for the referral, even if it didn’t lead to a sale.
If you’re not sure how to begin, don’t feel bad. Remember that informal survey I mentioned earlier? The number one reason those small business owners cited for not having a referral strategy was that they didn’t know how to create one.
Action Item - Write down a list of the traits that you like and/or admire in your favorite clients or customers. Be as specific as possible. Is there something your client does, something he thinks, a certain way he behaves? Know this list backwards and forwards. When you’re ready to ask for a referral, you’ll know exactly what to ask for.
Karen Scharf offers several whitepapers, free reports and checklists, as well as her the very same complete referral system that she uses in her own busines. Download your copies at www.ModernImage.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Affiliate Marketing - Business That You Do Not Have To Spend Money On (1)
Besides, there are tons of FREE programs for you to do the basic design of the website, even if you are a newbie in the field of web design. It will only take you one day to set up the website and then you can concentrate on searching for affiliate marketing programs to join.
Profiting From An Internet Home-Based Business (2)
If your concern is earning a salary, you will have no dearth of opportunities online. As long as you have a specialized skill, you should be able to find work.
Guide To Website Hosting Plans (3)
With a higher price though, there is more freedom with content, size, and usage. DEDICATED SERVER and COLOCATION Servers are the heavy hitters in the web hosting world. Dedicated plans, in the guide to website hosting plans, offer servers with a great deal of options and a large amount of tech support from the web host staff.
Ecommerce Storefront - Comparing The Products (4)
The most basic is the electronic shopping cart, which is designed to make selecting, purchasing and inventorying the products you sell on your site. These programs are generally add-ons to a site that's already been set up.
Article Writting: A Brief Guide, Can Articles Grow My Business? (5)
Topics: article writting, copywriting, SEO, web marketing Articles have been cited by some of the most popular marketing experts as the best form of internet advertising available. When you add that to the fact that it's free then you may start to think: maybe this is something I could use to make money?
Do You Believe In "Step-By-Step" Systems? (6)
If you just follow and copy what they did, you will be successful... Frankly speaking, this whole idea of "following and copying" is not as simple as it seems.
How To Create A Business Profitability Goal (7)
The reality is everyone subconsciously sets goals throughout their day. There are always occasions where something has to be done at a particular time or place. Simple examples could be getting up at a certain time in order to be at work, or to meet with a friend for a leisure activity.
Placing Search Engines At The Heart Of Web Development And Strategy (8)
Assess the quality of paid for listings, and if your competitors are there, it makes sense for you to be there too. Online PR is in Your Hands Many links can be generated through a variety of promotional techniques.
Brochure Copywriting: Strategy For Making A Piece Of Paper Resonate With People (9)
It's done by your customers in their own words. Assuming your company has satisfied customers, what they have to say about their experience with you is often more credible than anything you can say about yourself.
10 Commandments To Maximizing Your Time In Forum Participation (10)
4) Create a sense of trust and bonding among fellow marketers in which real friendship can be establish over time (a sense of belonging). 5) Share and learn from others through a mutual exchange of experience.
High Quality Perceptions Start With Truthful Expressions And A Well-Conceived Messaging Strategy (11)
Something to think about, anyway. Adam Barone is a freelance copywriter for such clients as The Timberland Company, Bank One, Sprint, and others. Subscribe his e-newsletter, CopyTHINK at adambarone.com.
How To Increase Link Popularity (12)
Read on... Forums Hang out in forums relevant to your website theme. Join forums where you can give advice and also receive advice. Do not just submit a post for the sake of advertising and do not post any sales pitches or advertisements in your post.
Website Copywriting: A Recipe For Hard-Hitting Words In Lean Portions (13)
Website copywriting needs to be shorter It's been scientifically proven that readers' eyes tire quicker reading a computer screen than they do a printed page. But more important than that, website copywriting needs to be short because of the nature of the medium.
Integrated Talents - Creating Compelling Digital Marketing (14)
Designers need to care about the functionality because the web is interactive. 3. Writers need to care about search engines because websites need to be found and easily digested.
Turning Your Direct Mail Campaign Into An Online Lead Generating Machine (15)
He's been a pretty hard sell, but I've finally managed to convince him. So, what was it that got him to step out of the Stone Age and into the 21st Century?
Cash And Pay-Per-Click Affiliate Programs (16)
Whether you belong to a private sales company or you are just interested in internet marketing, PPC affiliate programs can be a powerful venue to make money from the Internet.
Backing A Business With A Quality Online Storefront (17)
For those who shop online on a regular basis, quality is an important factor. A site that looks disorganized with broken links or a checkout process that takes too long is the best way to lose customers forever.
Your Online Shopping Cart: Portal To Profits (18)
Some shopping carts are so flashy and confusing, the visitor often gives up before completing the purchase. Other carts are barely there, lacking clear navigation and the sale is killed before it gets a chance to start.
The Best Source For Email Marketing (19)
If your subscribers enjoy your articles, they will go to your site by clicking the links that you will be putting on your newsletter to read some more. You can provide articles that can connect to many people.
Article Writing: How It Can Impact Your Wallet! (20)
They're all bringing you potential customers and money. Another great thing about writing articles for traffic is they give you a "name". For example, if someone reads your article, and can clearly see that you are knowledgeable person on this subject, they are more likely to buy from you.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Don't Be Afraid To Be Original (1)
Ghost writers vary in price, but can be found for a reasonable price, but remember, you get what you pay for. You can also consider using PLR (Private Label Rights) articles.
Why Use SEO Search Engine Optimization ? (2)
Good Content : This is probably the single most important point you should remember when doing SEO, especially if you want your site to be found on the web. Although your site may be technically perfect so that the search engine robots find it, you will find that it will not help if the actual content of your site is not good.
Web Tools Add Character To An Online Business (3)
Some business owners will use web tools to add special music to each section of their site. Most business owners try to be unique and offer the customer the opportunity to be inquisitive when they are trying to decide which internet business to visit when they are searching for a certain product.
The Little Extras That Come With Domain Registration (4)
For the low price of a domain registration though the business owner has the opportunity to shave operating costs by using extras such as email capabilities offered through some domain registrants.
What Kind Of Banner Advertisements Is Right For My Site? (5)
First, if you want your banner on a significant number of sites, it will mean cluttering your own up with these banners. This could even shot you in the foot if you run an affiliate website because, instead of clicking on your affiliate links, your visitors may be clicking on your banner exchange links.
Promote Your New Business With Article Distribution (6)
One of the best ways to promote your new business site is with article distribution. The Difficulties of Promoting a New Business I know firsthand how difficult it is to promote a new business.
When It Is Time To Move From Shared Hosting To Dedicated Server (7)
Even though a shared hosting environment is less expensive, if reliability is needed the individual will be better off moving to a dedicated server. Moving from shared hosting to a dedicated server will also allow the individual to install software and hardware that would otherwise be restricted by the shared hosting site due to concerns about security and additional hosting costs.
What Do Pints Make? Prizes (8)
This usually puts everyone on tenterhooks but there is no real need for panic. You are not supposed to know when the mystery shopper is coming in, hence the 'mystery' part, but anyone with any common sense can see that with a visit every month and usually on the weekend only eight days out of the month are worth worrying about.
How To Play The Game Of Paid URL Inclusion (9)
There are both advantages and disadvantages to paid URL inclusion, and it is only by weighing your pros and cons that you will be able to decide whether to spring for the extra cash or not.
How To Increase Your Search Engine Ranking (10)
Or you can look at a few simple items on your pages, make some small adjustments, and most likely see improved rankings quite rapidly. The first item you should examine is the title bar on your home page.
Why Are Publishers So Picky? (11)
This is the best way to get noticed by search engines. Publishers know this and look for it when approving articles. Article Marketing and Article Distribution Let's say you've decided to use article marketing to promote your website.
How To Index And Maintain Your Pages In The Search Engines (12)
More than just one-to-one manual link exchanges, you will find every possible way to submit articles, give testimonials, comment in blogs, participate in forums etc. all for the sake of creating link-backs to your site by leaving your signature behind.
How To Select A Search Engine Optimization Company (13)
Also confirm that the popular search engine results they are showing you are indeed the popular search engines currently. Be sure the sample report the company shows you is in a format that you can easily understand.
The 5 Effective Methods Of Getting Targeted Traffic (14)
Security features are in place so there's no point being trigger-happy if you don't like some sites. Viral Marketing is everything and anything to do with propagating your name and URL through giving away free e-books, reports, article and e-zine submission, classified ads etc.
Advertising Your Home Business On A Budget (15)
Look at your home business and your offerings and decide how much would be a good referral fee. PRESS RELEASES Press Releases are a good source for generating news about your home business.
Online Video Marketing - The Effective Way (16)
Stephen C Campbell (MBA, MSc, MCIM) is a business consultant who has conducted business throughout Europe, Far East & U.S. He specialises in helping businesses use the new technologies as a part of their business strategies.
Major Traffic Source Of The Future (Actually Now): Blogs (17)
It has its own URL so it can also be called a site. You update a web page via FTP upload, whereas you edit an existing post or create new ones within your blog account, so it's faster in a sense.
Create A Statement Of Professional Goals To Increase Your Income (18)
Achieving income goals is one of the most important things in life. Just because you may have encountered some failures does not mean that you should stop setting concrete goals.
The Importance Of Giving Publishers What They Want (19)
Writers must understand the importance of giving publishers what they want. Editors and publishers are the only ones between you and your readers. Develop a good relationship with a publisher and they will publish articles again from you in the future.
Finding The Perfect Online Business (20)
If someone has had a bad experience with a particular business opportunity, you can be certain you hear about this and perhaps that business is something that you want to avoid.
Permalink to How To Create An Abundant Flow Of Perfect Customers