Five Easy Ways to Increase your Referral Rate

Did you know that  88% of consumers trust recommendations from friends or family over other forms of marketing? This means that having a system to increase your referral rate is more important than ever before.

How do referrals help your business? First, they can help you save time. Instead of spending the time out pounding the pavement or making cold calls, you’ll have people calling you. Second, they are cost-effective. Instead of paying for mailers, a paid search, or a billboard, you can allocate those marketing dollars elsewhere. Third, referrals can help your business grow quicker than it normally would. According to the Wharton School of Business, a referral is 16% to 24% more loyal than other types of leads. Plus, a customer who was referred to you generates a 25% higher profit margin. If you’re looking for a way to improve your referral process, here are five ideas to help you get started.

• Create Shareable Content
• Offer Special Incentives
• Build More Partnerships
• Don’t Overlook Small Details
• Just Ask

Create Shareable Content

People are more likely to share content that they find interesting, whether that’s a photo, a blog post, a case study, etc. Businesses that run a blog may see double the email traffic of those who don’t. By creating content that easily lends itself to sharing, you can improve your brand recognition and potentially increase referrals. Studies have shown that about 33% of consumers trust content shared by a business. When this same information is shared by a trusted peer, this number increases to 92%. This means creating great content on a consistent basis is key. For example, try documenting the process of a renovation through a photo series for social media. Using original photos instead of stock photography may potentially increase your conversion rate by up to 35%! Using this method can also help you nurture and engage with your customers long after you finish their project.

Offer Special Incentives

Providing an incentive in exchange for a solid referral is a great way to drum up business. When a customer refers you to a friend or family member, offer them a future discount or special deal once you close the job. Not only will this increase referrals you receive, but it could also help grow your repeat business. The more valued your customer feels, the more likely they are to refer you to other people or hire you again.

Build More Partnerships

Building relationships with other people in your industry can also help you collect more referrals. For example, when working with a homeowner, they may mention they have multiple or additional specialty projects they have. Refer them to someone you’ve built a trusted relationship with, and then they can do the same for you in the future.

Don’t Overlook Small Details

You never know what that thing may be that pushes one of your customers to refer you. Sending a handwritten thank-you note to a homeowner after the project is done, for example, is a small detail that can help you stand out from the competition and keep you top of mind in the future. Remember, it’s all about the experience that your customer has with you, from the moment they first find you to the project’s completion that matters.

Just Ask

Sometimes, the easiest answer to increase your referral rate is the most obvious one. Simply post on social media or ask your previous customers for referrals. It may be helpful to create an easy way for submission, such as a form on your website. This way, even if a customer doesn’t have someone in mind at the moment, they have an option to send you a referral later.