Are you finding getting new clients for your business an up hill struggle? Are you wondering where to find new clients?
If you’re not already looking at your existing clients to get more clients for your business then keep reading – learning how to get more client referalls should be part of your lead generation strategy!
Recommendations still remain the most credible form of advertising, with 83% of people saying they trust the recommendations of friends.
So, is asking for client referrals part of your process?
Or do you assume your clients will naturally share good word of mouth about you?
Or perhaps you find asking for referrals uncomfortable.
The problem with not proactively asking for referral business is that you could be missing out on one of the most effective and affordable ways to get more clients!
You don’t have to create an elaborate marketing plan or wait for ages to see a result.
With these actionable tips, you can start getting more client referrals right away. Most of these ideas can be implemented with less than an hour’s worth of work, but the additional revenues that you gain can have a positive impact on your marketing efforts that lasts for months, even years.
So let’s get to it!
What are Client Referrals?
Before we dive directly into the topic of how to get more client referrals, let’s get to know what a client referral is first. Whenever someone in your circle promotes you, your service or your business to a prospective client, this is known as a client referral or business referral. This may occur naturally during a casual conversation or even as a result of deliberate referral marketing activity on the part of the referrer.
If you deliver a positive client experience, word-of-mouth recommendations will certainly occur on their own. However, making a deliberate effort to grow them may result in a larger return on your investment from your connections. It’s now time to learn how to generate referrals from existing clients.
How to Get Client Referrals?
Depending on how much you charge for your services and how many clients you take in at a time, learning how to get referrals could make up a large chunk of your lead generation strategy.
In this article I’m going to share with you my 5 tops tips on how to get referals from clients.
1. Get a Client Referral Request Mindset
How to increase customer referrals first starts with having the right mindset!
The first thing you have to do to get in the habit of asking for client referrals is to overcome your fear. You can do so in the following ways:
- Remember that most people like to help other people if there is no negative cost to them.
- Remind yourself that the worst that can happen is that the client says, “No.” That’s not too terrible, is it?
- Give referrals. Help your clients grow their businesses by hooking them up with people in your network, and they’ll feel inclined to return the favour.
2. Ask at the Right Time
How to ask past clients for referrals is all about the timing! Most of us ask for a referrals at the end of a job. It seems like the most sensible time to ask about passing on your details.
However, this may not be the most opportune time to get new clients through referrals.
Instead, experiment asking for new client referrals at other times. Look for opportunities where a client is particularly pleased with the work you’ve done. Perhaps after you hand in the first stage of a multi-stage project, or when they’ve come back to you after one project is finished to ask about a second.
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3. Consider Offering an Incentive for Successful Referrals
How to generate more referrals using an incentive? There are several options here, the most popular is monetary rewards, such as a gift card, which can be an effective incentive for referrals that lead to sales. Other options could be discounts, free swag, or merchandise.
Choose a reward that most fits your values and gives your clients something of value that they’ll enjoy striving towards.
4. Stay Connected with Your Clients
Stay in touch with your clients to keep the door open for future referrals, and to keep you in their minds.
- Connect with them on LinkedIn, and follow their updates so you can like and comment on status updates, job changes, and blog posts.
- Follow them on Twitter so you can read their updates and chime in on conversations that are relevant to you.
- Subscribe to their blog, if they have one, and send them an email when one of the blogs is particularly good or of interest to you.
- Like their Facebook page or join their Facebook group and engage.
- Follow them on Instagram.
5. Share Their Work
Proactively share their work, their business, or their ideas within your networks so you’re passively — but proactively — referring them on a regular basis. It only takes a few clicks, but it can build a lot of goodwill to share their latest blog post, publicise their most recent product launch, or leave them a positive review.
So, How to Get More Referrals from Clients – it’s that simple!
There you have it – 5 actionable tips on how to get more client referalls for your business!
Don’t let nerves or fear get in the way of building your business. Referrals will get you more clients, and the more referrals you ask for, the more referrals you’ll get.
As long as you put the effort into providing the best possible service and ensure your clients are receiving value, they will do much of your marketing for you.
For more ways to get more clients for business check out my Ultimate Guide: How to Get More Clients for Your Business.
Jade *
PS If you’re looking for other great ways to get new clients then check out my Sales and Marketing Course aimed at getting you your perfect, paying clients, consistently!