Referral marketing is an effective plan to cultivate more high-quality customer referrals for your company. But how do you get more of them?

The vote of confidence from the recommending customer sparks positive effects:

• They become brand advocates for your company.
• The referral prospects know them, trust their opinion, and are more open to your business from the start. Research shows that 39% of consumers build trust in a brand from peer-to-peer conversations.
• They help your sphere of influence grow across new audiences. Word-of-mouth recommendations influence 90% of all purchases.
• They help you improve your return on investment from your customer network by attracting potential new customers.
• They’re also providing you with social proof of your company’s appeal. Every day, more than 2.4 million brand-related conversations take place in the United States. You want your company to be part of the conversation.

If you're looking to retain your customers and also attract new leads to your business, it's time to consider ideas for getting more referrals from your customer network with referral marketing.

A referral marketing program encourages your customers to vouch for your company and share their brand experience with their personal network of partners, colleagues, family, and friends. They can help you find people who can benefit from your product or service and fit with your brand.

5 Ideas For Getting More Referrals + Lots of Ideas for Implementing a Customer Referral Program

1. Get Referrals Quickly

Keep your existing customers engaged with your brand by staying connected with them. Invest in each relationship with nurture campaigns that continue to provide value. Whether it's through email and other written venues, helpful and informative content, semi-frequent check-ins, or a community with a shared set of values or causes, these campaigns are an effective way to grow your customer base. Stay top of mind by asking for referrals and use an easy way to procure them, such as a fillable form.

2. Get Referrals Without Asking for Them

A word-of-mouth referral is largely dependent on customer’s loyalty, which is earned by exceeding their expectations. Your most loyal customers will likely recommend your company the most. Acknowledge them with a customer loyalty program that rewards them for recommending your business. It’s a way to make them feel valued, inspire more loyalty, and gain more referrals from their network or even strangers online.

3. Get Referrals in Quantity

Be proactive about acquiring new referrals. Improve credibility and make it easier for them to trust you with a customer referral program. Rather than writing reviews online or submitting customer feedback surveys, referral programs allow your best customers to share their experience with members of their network. In turn, your marketing and sales teams can engage new prospects who already have a trustworthy source for your company’s positive customer experience.

Ideas for Implementing a Customer Referral Program:

• Contests or Giveaways - incentivize customers to refer new leads.
• Social Gifting – reward customers for sharing their incentives with their peers, like a coupon.
• Fundraisers – support a cause that your customers care about. In turn, your customers will also share their fundraisers with their peers.
• Customer Loyalty Tiers – motivate customers to refer more people by rewarding them as they continue to refer leads.
• Seasonal Campaigns - holiday discounts, annual sales, and other seasonal deals offer rewards that your customers will look forward to year-round.
• Exclusive Events - host events that are reserved for members of your customer loyalty program to encourage customer advocacy and attract new leads.
• Referral Discounts - offer product or service discounts based on how many leads customers bring to your business.
• Product or Service Upgrades – incentivize customers with the upgrades or give them VIP access to beta features, products, and services that other customers don’t have.

Give your customers a reason to talk about your company. Delight them in such a way that they want to share the experience. Mostly, this means sharing on social media.

Creating noteworthy customer experiences starts with understanding your customer’s pain points. Discover how they can be alleviated, and share which of your products and services are the right solutions for the job. Figure out how to go above and beyond their expectations and deliver on that promise.

Also, master the search and filter tools of your inbound marketing, sales, and customer service software, company operating system, and social media platforms to target your referral prospects.

5. Get Referrals From Existing Clients

When you’re continually proving you are referral-worthy to your existing customers, you’re likely to get continuous referrals. This means regularly collecting and acting on customer feedback. Choose survey types and write survey questions that best fit your needs.

Forty-seven percent of buyers view three to five pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep. To attract more qualified prospects, distribute your content and other resources across different channels so it’s seen or heard by as many referral prospects as possible.

Also, don’t hold out on your existing customers if you think another company can also help them find solutions. Referring your customers to other companies you trust will help with your customer karma as well.

11outof11 for Nurture Campaigns

When you’re ready to start a nurture campaign, a customer referral program, or want to grow sales through your network, connect with 11outof11. Request a complimentary call with an 11outof11 expert. Contact us to learn more.