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By: Craig Valine
Remember a time when you shared information with someone
important to you, like a friend, family member or loved
one, about a great deal you got, an awesome experience,
a company, service or product that was above and beyond
what you ever expected.
Remember that time? Remember how great you felt when
they called you up and told you how happy and
appreciative they were that you introduced them to that
company?
Well, you owe it to your customers to give them the same
opportunity with respect to your products or services.
It's important that you understand the power of
referrals. Not only with respect to how it benefits you,
but how it benefits the people giving them to you, and
the people they refer. In essence, it does three
important things:
1. It helps your customers better appreciate the benefits
and value they receive each and every time they do
business with you.
2. It gives them an opportunity to give back to you by
way of appreciation they feel for the experience they
get from your product or service.
3. It gives them the opportunity to benefit other people
in their lives who are important to them.
The critical component of getting referrals from happy
customers is really simple: Keep them elated about doing
business with you.
I've said this before, and I'll continue to say it again:
"Treat your customers or clients like dear and valued
friends."
Why is that important? There are many reasons, but for
this purpose it's because "friends tend to do business
with friends."
* If someone needed life insurance, I know who to refer
them to; my friend Chris at New York Life.
* If someone needed to get a $10+ Million dollar loan
for a startup or expansion, I'd refer them to friend
Judy at Chandler Financial.
* If someone needed printing services, I'd refer them
to my friend Lynn.
Friends do business with friends, and the more enjoyable
the experience they have with you; the more they know you
and trust you; the more they feel like they've received
more benefit and advantage from you than they could
anywhere else, then you've got a referral system that
just won't quit.
Now, you may be thinking, "I'm not sure my product or
service has elated my customers as much as I'd like
it to."
Don't despair. Just start now and ask yourself some
questions to get in the mindset of creating a valuable
experience for everyone who ever inquires about or does
business with you ever again.
* Am I giving the best possible value or benefit I
humanly can to my customers or clients?
* Do I genuinely care about my customers or client's
best interests and needs at the best level I should
or could?
* Am I genuinely thinking about their interests above
my own?
Remember, "it's all about them. It's never about you."
One of the greatest forms of confirmation you can give
to a customer or client is the opportunity for them to
give the same benefit or advantage to somebody in their
life who is important to them.
Walt Disney said it best: "Do what you do so well people
can't resist talking about you."
Do yourself and your customers a favor: offer them the
best damn product or service you possibly can; treat
them with respect, like a dear and valued friend; and,
give them the opportunity to toot your horn for you and
generate more business for you than you can ever imagine.
About the Author
Craig Valine is the publisher of the
The AwfulMarketing Alert Newsletter, "Where you learn
GOOD marketing strategies by looking at those who do
it really BAD."
To subscribe his free newsletter, go to:
http://awfulmarketing.com/ezinesubscribe.htm
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