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Referrals

Have you ever thought about getting customers to give you referrals??

Think about this >

If you have ten customers and they each referred  just one new customer a year, at the end of the year you would have 20 customers.

How many customers would you have after eight years?

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  • PRO
    Unless your wanting to expand and take on employees, after 8 years you would have too many customers.
    • PRO
      With a large business like that, I’d imagine they would need constant referrals to grow?
      • PRO
        Sounds like a headache to me if I’m honest, taking on that amount of new clients year on year.
  • nearly 1300 but you would lose some due to natural wastage 

  • Surely that's what satisfied customers do anyway, don't they?

    Recommendations have kept us going for 40 years. No advertising, no sign written vehicles, no leaflet drops, no website. A name board on each current job was needed and was very fruitful in the early years, but once contacts have been made and standards are maintained, a small business can become sustainable. 

    Although luck will play a big part, sometimes us 'gardeners' underestimate the business skills we have or those needed survive and thrive.

  • I don't really need any new customers . But they come and go . Economics , death , moving house etc . So I do get new jobs in , which are always through referral . I've erm in business 26 years and not advertised for 25 years
  • I'm currently reading 'The Referral Engine'. I feel my company does a great job, but it's now a case of making us as easy to refer as possible. 

    Referrals are cheap leads, and they're good leads. The friend of a good customer tends to be a good customer. If they're not quite as good then they might just need a little education of how you do business. Given you've been referred to them, they'll likely listen and be less price sensitive.

    I've a bit at the back of my letters offering £20 credit or a £20 garden centre voucher for successful referrals. I made sure by best customers who referred / reviewed the business last year got a bottle at Christmas. 

    Another option is to print vouchers for the business, or staple to a flyer maybe (£20 off first service?). Leave each customer with 3-4 when we see them in March? £20 traveling in either direction, £40 for a good'en?

    • To be honest I think most customers would think I've gone mad if I started offering vouchers etc. If they want to recommend you, they will do it with or without a financial incentive.  

      Isn't it the customer that usually gives US the bottle of wine or a few quid at Christmas?

      • True on both accounts, but I think you need some kind of referral scheme one way or another. They need training up to work for us and the exact methods of doing so are going to be unlimited.  

        I'd love that... a sole bottle came it my direction!

  • PRO
    When I go to visit a new or existing customer I leave at least two business cards on their hall table or somewhere similar.

    No need to make a fuss about it, just say “I’ll leave you a card” as you put them down. Do a good job and one or both of the cards will be passed on to other people after the original customer has stored your contact details on their phone or in their address book.

    Andy
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