Referrals are an important part of any successful business. They’re a great way to keep building your customer base, year after year, without having to go out and explicitly advertise… Instead, you use the power of your current happy customers to help you continue to grow.
There are many reasons why referrals are so ‘golden’. For one thing, in this time-crunched age where everyone’s so busy, people are more willing to depend on the advice of trusted contacts. It saves them from spending more time in research.
Referrals also produce a ‘snowball’ effect. Happy customers tend to have a good idea of which one of their friends would appreciate your product or service. They refer people similar to themselves … who also refer people they know… and so on.
But one of the best things about referrals is that they’re easier to convert into customers! It’s fine for YOU to say that you provide a great product or service — but when someone else says it, it instantly has more impact … especially when it comes from a trusted friend or contact. Your credibility and expertise have been established by the referrer.
However, many business owners assume that just because you do a good job, referrals will happen automatically. This isn’t true; people often need a little encouragement to send referrals your way. It’s up to you to take a more active role in making them happen.
Go ahead and tell your customers that you’ll do your best to make sure they’re happy. Then let them know that you would welcome any referrals — in other words, simply ASK for new referrals. Encourage them by offering referral incentives.
For example, offer a referral bonus or discount. Offer free gifts, extra entries into a contest, whatever is appropriate for your business. And ALWAYS send a thank- you note and possibly even a small gift to the referrer … regardless of whether or not the person he referred becomes a customer. This will show that you appreciate him thinking of you. Everyone likes to feel appreciated, and he’ll be more likely to continue to send referrals your way. You never know — someone he refers in the future might very well become a customer!
Another example is simply writing articles and distributing them around the Internet. Once again, if you get published you instantly have more credibility — you build an “expert” status, so to speak. Many article syndication sites offer a feature that allows the reader to email the article to a friend… and articles are often passed around from person to person through email.
In both of the above cases, your business automatically has more “clout” than, say, if a prospect were to simply visit your website. The prospect has already been at least partially influenced by his or her friend or contact … which makes your job of converting him to a paying customer that much easier!
A referral-friendly business is one which can continue to send you new customers day after day, year after year. Encourage it and reward it!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The Online Business Basics website offers free marketing tips and articles for beginners to the ‘net. Visit www.onlinebusinessbasics.com for more tips on how to effectively market your business on a limited budget.
If you’ve ever written to a company that over-uses automation or form letters, you’ll understand the feeling of teeth-gritting *frustration* with canned responses that don’t even begin to answer your question.
It’s especially aggravating when you just can’t seem to find a real human being to talk to. Inquiry after inquiry is greeted by an automated robot.
Yet more and more online businesses are using autoresponders to save time. And I can see why; they’re wonderful tools. These special email addresses can be set up to send out ‘pre-written’ emails and save you from a lot of manual work.
For example, autoresponders can be used to deliver advertising rates, email courses, reports, free chapters or trials or your eBook or software. You can also use them to send out your sales letter and a series of automated follow-up messages.
They’re extremely versatile … and a great way to free up your time, keep in touch with your prospects, build credibility, and increase sales.
BUT autoresponders are only *tools*. They cannot – and should not – replace the personal touch that only a real, live human can provide.
Face it: the Internet is a vast, cold place. No one likes to feel like ‘just another faceless entity’. Here are a few situations where a personalized email can work wonders …
1. Your Prospect Sends You a Specific Question.
If your prospect opens up your autoresponder message and hits ‘reply’, that reply should go directly to *you*. Take a few minutes and specifically address your prospect’s question or concern. She’s interested enough to write to you; shouldn’t you be eager for the opportunity to convert her interest into a sale – and possibly a loyal customer?
2. Thank-You Letters.
Oh, I understand that businesses that process a lot of online orders cannot possibly send every single customer a personalized thank-you note. It’s just plain impossible.However, small tokens of appreciation can go a long ways. For example, send a quick thank-you note to your repeat customers.
Another time you want to send a personal thank-you letter is when you receive a testimonial. You’ve obviously done a great job with your product! Why not use the opportunity to build customer loyalty? A simple, personal note reinforces her positive feelings about her purchase – and about *you*. Remember that word-of-mouth advertising is some of the best free promotion available … !
3. Replies to Comments and Suggestions.
It is absolutely maddening to write to someone with constructive feedback and receive a response like,
‘Dear Friend,Thank you for your comments. We appreciate each and every one of them.
Regards,
Customer Care Staff’
To me, this shows a distinct and utter *lack* of regard for the customer.
Address the comment or suggestion directly. Call the customer by her name. Sign your own. In other words, treat her like a real *person*! It’s so simple, and I can assure you that your customer will appreciate the effort.
4. Requests for Help or Joint Ventures.
Part of your success online depends on your ability to build relationships — not just with your customers, but with your ‘online colleagues’: other webmasters or editors within your own niche.A few seconds of your time could mean the difference between a joint venture proposal that gets a response, and one that’s ignored. Instead of sending out a generic email that says,
‘Dear Webmaster, I was just visiting your site and was very impressed. Would you be interested in a joint venture?’
… try something more personal, such as,
‘Hi Heather, I was just browsing yourdomain.com and saw that you offer international gourmet coffees (I especially love your sampler pack!). I also run a website for coffee lovers, and was wondering if you’d be interested in a joint venture…’
Okay, so maybe I’m ‘old-fashioned’ when it comes to service. But automation, to me, has its limits. Nothing can ever take the place of prompt, personal service! Try it – you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many people genuinely appreciate it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
The Online Business Basics website offers free marketing tips and articles for beginners to the ‘net. Visit www.onlinebusinessbasics.com for more tips on how to effectively market your business on a limited budget.
Forget ringing, I am yelling in your ears for this one. You are going to love me for this…
Okay, so today most of us manage several social networking accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Ning, etc). The initial mission was to grow our businesses and connect with customers by using social media marketing. What a great opportunity, right? The wellspring of potential is enormous, when you really think about it. But for most of us, our mission quickly morphed into mission impossible as we signed up for too may sites and lost control and sight of the end game, profits.
Let me reintegrate the fact that you are right to be moving in this direction. Your vision and purpose can’t be shackled by costly and inefficient marketing any longer.
Except….
You have working your poor brain into a tailspin trying to cover all the bases (i.e. joining, managing and strategizing social networks). And, it all seems impossible to manage, let alone profit from. If you are thinking to call it quits cause things just aren’t clicking or that visitors may have determined you don’t have your act together enough to do business with you…You have on the wrong glasses. The great thing about being online is that it is never too late to start over and get it right! So let’s regroup here as I share a little known feature that can help you reign in your social media cattle…
It’s called Ping.fm
What is Ping.fm
Only the vest kept secret in internet marketing in my opinion. Ping.fm is a free online service that allows you to link all your social media sites together and update them all at once via status updates, blogs and email! SWEET, RIGHT? It takes the pain out of trying to remember all the passwords to update your various networks of offers and the like.
Now, I know what you may be thinking, this is just another thing to sign up for and get lost in the wind. No need to be afraid. Ping.fm is a tool that allows you to link all of your social media networking sites and update them from one place all at once!
When I discovered this tool, I was like (cue music…ahhhhhh)! I mean really, it is simple to use and set up and Ping.fm offers outstanding customer support through a tool near and dear to my O.B.M. heart called Pbworks.com (I use this for creating and documenting systems in my online business….pssst, its free too). I digress.
If you are still feeling a little apprehensive, you have a right to be. I know well of being in the place and space of “I’m not joining any other networks”. I am sure you have had a really bumpy SM experience. So, I don’t blame you for being skeptical and you are right to be. Ping is not the end all be all. It, does not house “every single” social networking site or application on the web. However, you’ll have all the biggies!
On the other side of the coin, some of you are ready to get linked and start pinging all over the place..lol. GO FOR IT!
Type Ping.fm in your url and start consolidating your social media networks in a snap and gain take back control over you SM experience!
Check out this quick video I found on you tube, for a brief overview!
My Virtual Genie Seeks Social Media Marketing Intern
This is a non-paid opportunity to learn the trade of social media marketing and list building from the ground up.
You will learn how to assist in producing a professional social media marketing presence as well as learn how to promote and support the online business owner and My Virtual Genie’s for the long term. You will be mentored 1 on 1 by Kenya Halliburton one of the world’s first certified online business managers.
Skills to be learned include:
Creating and Implementing Social Media Action Plans
Forum Marketing
List Building Strategies
Facebook Page Creation and Customization
Affiliate Product Marketing
Blog Marketing
Social Media Network Linking
Social Media Profile building
Mind Mapping Strategy
The Social Media Marketing Intern position requires an investment of 20 hours per week (learning and working) for ten weeks and can turn into a long-term paid position. When you do the majority of your work is not important but you must have at least five hours a week available in the morning or afternoon during the business week.
Prerequisite Skills:
Internet Research
Basic HTML
Writing Ability
You will sign a non-disclosure agreement.
You must own a fast, reliable computer and have a high speed internet connection.
You will be provided with all necessary learning materials and mentoring and any software required.
To Apply:
Send resume outlining skills & experience to:
Include a Cover Letter that expresses your interest in internet marketing and any particular experience that you have that would make you a good candidate. Be open about your long term goals as they relate to online marketing.
