Customer Referrals – Why are you not getting the results that you want - James Bryant

James W. Bryant - "Better You 4U - An Entrepreneur's Journey"

IBGR - PROFIT Radio Network. Everything a business owner needs to start, grow, or exit a business. Come grow with us.

INTRODUCTION
Marketing plays a key role in the growth of any business and this is certainly true of your business.  Marketing helps to educate your target customer on who you are the products that you have to offer.  You can have the best solution to a customer’s problem, only if the customer knows that you exist.  Another role that marketing plays is to establish and nurture the relationship through the customer journey from the initial engagement through the delivery of services (even after the sale).  There are several specific ways that you can market your company including: paid advertising, online ads, email campaigns, public events, radio, podcasting, social media, customer referrals, and B2B referrals.  The use of referrals to grow your business is one of the most economical marketing strategies that you can employ.   

Episode Objectives - The Why
There is a difference between knowing that something can be beneficial and proving its benefits through implementation.  Word of mouth is still an effective marketing tool and people rely on the reviews or trusted word of a friend before making a purchase.  You want to create a community of customers that are willing to spread the word about your products and services.  What is the best way to get referrals for your business?  This is one of the many questions that we will explore during our show today.  The objective of today’s show is to provide tips for how you can use both customer and business to business referrals to grow your business.

Key Issues - Owner Perspective:

• Referrals are there, but you must ask.
• Referral marketing is a strategy
• Seek first to understand

What You Need to Know - The What
1. What is a referral?  - 
A referral is defined as the act of telling someone about the positive features of a person or a business.

• Customer to Customer
• Business to Business
• Qualified Referrals

2.  Why Referrals are not working for you? 
B2B

• You are part of a group but expect referrals to just happen automatically.
• Your are not asking the right kind of questions
• You are not clear on who you want referred
• Follow-up, Follow-up, Follow-up

Customer to Customer

• You have not integrated a referral program of effort into your customer journey (the journey does not end after the sale of the product).

3.  When, Where, and How to drive referrals. 

• Paid Networking Groups
• Networking Groups (If you can’t find one then create one)
• Speaking Engagement
• Community Activities
• Where you can add value.  It is not just about who can be referred to you but who you can refer to others.

What You Need to Do - The How
1. Seek to refer and then be referred.

• Think of ways that you can add value to any community of group that you want to serve.  
• Work on understanding the needs and capabilities of businesses in your community.

2.  Ask the right questions. 

• Why did you start your business?
• What do you love most about it?
• Tell me a business achievement you’re proud of…
• What differentiates you from other that provide the same service?
• How would you like me to describe you to others?
• What goals do you have for your business?
• Tell me an interesting fact about yourself?
• Tell me the type of people that you are looking to be referred to you?

3.  Be Clear on:

• What you have to offer and 
• The types of referrals that you are looking for

​4.  Integrate a referrals program into your post-sell customer journey and nurturing campaign. 

Shows
Previous: Building Your Brand is Just the Start - https://podcast.betteryou4u.com/1-building-your-brand-is-just-the-start-james-bryant

Next: My website has traffic but no sales or leads, What’s next?
Links and Resources
1. Register for Next Webinar on April 7, 2021 at 6:00 PM Eastern Time

The Art of Work-Life Balance: https://link.betteryou4u.com/balance

2.  How to Become a More Effective Listener (Recording)
https://link.betteryou4u.com/Listening

3. IBGR – Season 5 Survey:  https://www.ibgr.network/

4. Subscribe to the podcast:  https://podcast.betteryou4u.com/
James W Bryant - Helping you Succeed in Business and in Life
James Bryant, Ph.D. is the founder and CEO of Better You 4U LLC, a boutique leadership training and peak performance coaching firm that serves key executives and business owners. James is a passionate leader that equips business owners with the tools run their business so that their business does not run their life. 

LinkedIn:        https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbryant2/

Business Made Simple: 
https://www.hireacoach.com/James-Bryant
https://www.businessmadesimple.com?ref=jamesbryant1