Truth: People prefer to buy from businesses they know and trust, and when they don't know of anyone, they rely on the recommendations of others. As a business owner, you can greatly benefit from referrals, but what kind of referrals are the most beneficial? Read on to find out about the best three types of business referrals.
Direct Referrals
The most common kind of referral is a direct referral, also known as a word-of-mouth referral. When you provide exceptional products or services, word-of-mouth referrals are bound to happen organically over time. This type of referral could be based on someone's own personal experience with you, your reputation in an industry, or the fact that you specialize in the product or service a friend of a friend needs. In addition to word-of-mouth referrals that come as a result of doing business, you might also get recommendations from your business referral network.
Email Referrals
Another type of referral is an email referral from either an existing customer or a member of your business referral networking group. A referral from your business networking group should be an email introduction so that each person may have a chance to thank the person making the referral.
Referrals from Reviews
In today's search-engine driven markets, getting good reviews on Google, Facebook, and Yelp is essential for certain types of businesses. Still, another form of review that you may not have thought about is a testimonial you can put on your website. Since you're the one posting the testimonial, be sure to add enough details so that people can tell it's legitimate. Including personal information such as a photo of the reviewer, their first and last name, and their city and state will instill confidence in the reader.
How do you get reviews?
The best way to get a review is simply to ask for one. When a customer or client lets you know that they are happy with your product or service, that's the time to ask if they would mind reviewing your business.
Hopefully, you're getting all kinds of referrals, but it's hard to get recommended when you're just getting started and hardly have any customers. That's where having a strong network of local professionals is vital. For many of us, networking can feel awkward and even pushy, but there's a way to make it comfortable and easy.
When you join a business networking group, you'll be connected with people who are excited to hear about the products or services you provide for your clients, learn about you, and collaborate. Attend the next meeting of East Bay Business Exchange and discover a group of local business owners all helping each other grow.