Word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing tools. Why? People are more likely to trust the opinions of their friends and family when making buying decisions. As small business owners in Milwaukee, you need to be sure customers are well taken care of. That will inspire them to bring in friends. Here are a few tips from our Milwaukee marketing experts to help you boost referrals.
It’s tough to earn referrals if you’re not taking proper care of existing customers. To do that, you need to take time to understand your customers’ needs – and serve them. This is true for all aspects of the business. Customers may love your product, but if something happens during the buying process and they have a less than great customer service experience, they’ll be less likely to recommend it to people. Maybe it’s obvious, but you should make sure everyone on your team is committed to providing great customer service.
Nothing triggers a response quite like the word “reward,” especially with today’s consumers. Developing a referral program with benefits, like a gift for each referral, is a great start. They key here is to make sure there’s enough perceived value. If someone doesn’t think the “reward” is worth enough to refer someone, they simply won’t. Find a happy medium of providing value without breaking the bank.
A great way to trigger a chain reaction is by making a customer feel great about themselves. Posting a note or message about the person who referred the most customers on social media pages or around the store is a good start. Even better, sending them a personal letter with a gift will only help, increasing their chances of encouraging others to bring referrals.
Making sure your customers know you’re there is your most important job. If you know of a positive interaction you had, sending a gentle reminder about referrals (or a referral program) won’t hurt! If dealing with a new customer, try offering them an incentive to give you a few names of friends they may think would be interested. Then, if that person becomes a customer, they can get another incentive.
It’s quite certain referrals are great for business. To get more, you need to provide existing customers with positive experiences to earn a great reputation. The team at Milwaukee SEO Company help you learn more about opportunities to grow your business. Get in touch today!