I’m watching BBC breakfast, the business correspondent is talking to a firm of bakers about their export business.
“Where do you export to?”, the beaming presenter asks.
“All over, er Cyprus, Portugal…”, he replies calmly.
“Great and how do you get this business?”, presenter getting more attractive as she speaks.
“Well it is a lot about word of mouth,” he responds lazily.
Not unlike an exhibition, where the exhibition stand is manned by the new starter, this chap was probably the guy who was in the bakery from 6.00am and helped them set up the lights for the camera.
Now of course I jest and perhaps a little unfairly. It would make boring TV for the baker to tell us exactly how they got hotel chefs in Cyprus choosing them as their bread roll providers. And yet with so many businesses who rely, heavily, on referrals as they do little to no planned marketing with strategy, they know not where their referrals come from or what helped them impress one client so much that they felt compelled to recommended them to others.
Look at the title of this post. You must discover what was said about you as that will tell you what customers really like about you. Then you must thank the person who referred you, without entering bribery act territory.
You then crucially know what appeals to this new potential customer!
Here’s a quick run down of what to do and how to do it.
1. Ask for referrals. When you have delighted a customer or client and they are telling you they are over the moon that’s when you hit them. “Thank you so much, I’m delighted you’re happy. Can you think of someone you know, who also wants to have a new customer service strategy?”
2. Tell them to tell the referee to mention them.
“When you do recommend us if you feel you want to, please ask them to mention you, then I can thank you properly.”
3. Talk about what the new referred person wants to talk about.
If they, the new potential customer Claire starts by telling you all about Jane and how they grew up in Tiddly Widdly together then talk about the village of Tiddly Widdly. Don’t get straight to business.
Then focus fully on them and don’t talk any more about how fabulous Jane was who recommended Claire, they want to have the star treatment now.
4. Immediately call Jane, the person who recommended Claire.
“Jane, I have just had Claire in here, and due to your help it looks like we are going to be revolutionising her entire workforce/steam cleaning her curtains/training her dog/installing a new outside tap for her, (delete as applicable).
5. Thank Jane in the right way.
No innuendo intended. If Jane likes Siamese cats, find her a card with a Siamese cat on it and write to her. In business to business sales and particularly big business and public sector deals you need to be very careful which is why it is often simpler to thank someone by thanking that someone properly. Which may mean taking the time to write a card or a letter rather than fire off an email.
Generating referrals and managing word of mouth is different to forming strategic alliances and reciprocal deals. That is a different subject altogether, about businesses sharing ideas and helping each other to win and retain clients.
During times of change or if people are under confident they will always ask friends and people they trust for referrals. You probably use your network in this way already, and ask your Facebook friends for recommendations on other matters.
It is your job whether you sell to the general public or to businesses and organisations to generate referrals and to track where they come from and what it is that is that you do, that causes you to be recommended.
The cost to you to win a new customer through a referral is your time, and sometimes just the cost of a card and a first class stamp.
Make 2012 the year you really harness the power of this low cost – high result bearing strategy.
