There are several ways through which you could get new customers as an entrepreneur. There is the way of advertising; through which you get customers when you give the right ones your flyers, brochures, telling them via the word of mouth and through other means that aren’t mentioned here.
However, did you know that there is one very viable way of getting new customers that have been in existence for a very long time now? Well, truth is that this type of means of getting customers has existed for as long as man started business and is one of the very potent ways to gain more customers.
This means is known as the referral means. This means happens when an existing customer either new or old have tested and proven that your product is a nice one. On the other hand if your business is service based, it means that the customer must have been served in a most satisfied way so that they do nothing else than refer people who might need your product or services.
So, do these customers tell other people about your business for a fee, or do they do this on their own volition? Here are answers to the question, as these are ways through which you can get your customers for referrals without paying them.
How to Politely Ask Customers for Referrals Without Paying Them
1. Have an Amazing Team
If you have ever been amazed by the team some known brands have, and then you just might agree with me that they have carefully done their selection so that anyone who comes in contact with them gets nothing less than satisfaction. This is why it is equally very important that you also look to have an amazing team.
When I talk of amazing team, I refer to the best hands that can be in sync with one another so that their roles are complementing and by so doing they are able to deliver the best of services. When such a thing happens, you find that customers who come in contact with your team are compelled to refer customers even without a fee because they are satisfied.
2. Offer Top Notch Customer Service
One of the ways through which you could possibly win the hearts of your customers so that they are willing to refer customers to you without a fee, is by having a good customer service system. This might not come easily initially as you have got to overlook some nasty behavioral tendencies of some difficult clients. However, if you are able to build and put together a top notch customer service system that is always at the beck and call of your customers, then you can be sure that these customers wouldn’t mind to refer people to you. This would take training and even re training your employees.
3. Request It of Them
If your type of business is such that you usually have an interface with your customers, then you may consider putting it across to your customers politely. Take for instance; if a customer have just purchased some good from you and you are sure that they are leaving with a smile, you may consider thanking them for the patronage, as well as asking them in a polite manner that you would be glad if they referred customers to you. This is one way that you can get new customers, as it, means that you are also willing to satisfy whoever they bring rather than being scared to make a move.
4. Follow Up With Calls
There is really nothing bad in putting across calls to your customers to ask how the services you have rendered to them have been. Be sure that you are asking some recently satisfied customers as asking those who aren’t or are difficult may boomerang. After you might have gotten a good word of praise from them, then you may stylishly chip your request in. You would be amazed at the number of referrals you are likely to get especially from those who have been extremely satisfied.
5. Make Use of Technology
With the advancement of the internet age, then it becomes pretty important that you take advantage of the email technology available to you. What would this entail? It entails that you send your recent satisfied clients some mails, thanking them for their patronage, as well as asking them not to hesitate to refer clients to you. Make them know how dear their patronage has been so far and how their referrals would go a long way in helping the business advance and in making you and your team serve them better.
These are some of the ways that you can politely ask your customers for referrals without them asking to be paid. In fact, the key is staying through to your values and visions and you would get as much customers as you want through your existing customers.