How do I get online referrals?

Getting online referrals involves encouraging your current customers, followers, and contacts to recommend your products or services to their networks.  Referrals can be a powerful way to expand your customer base and build trust with new prospects.  Many of the strategies for successful rules are the same strategies you would apply for any robust marketing plan. 

Are you effectively engaging your audience to encourage their referrals?   Put yourself at the top of your game in each of the following areas:

• Deliver Exceptional Customer Service – No need to elaborate in detail.  Happy customers are more likely to refer you.  Enough said. 
• Ask for Referrals – While this recommendation would fit very high on the “Obvious Scale”, it all-too-often sits very low on the “Did You Do It Scale”.  Ask your satisfied customers to refer your business to their friends, family, or colleagues.  You can include a request for referrals in your follow-up emails or order confirmations. 
• Create a Referral Program – You can entice them for successful referrals through discounts or freebies.  Design a referral program that rewards customers for referring others.
• Leverage Social Media – As always, encourage your social media followers to share their positive experiences with your products or services.  Share user-generated content and testimonials to showcase real experiences by satisfied customers.
• Highlight Referral Stories – Share success stories of customers who were referred by others and had positive experiences. This can inspire others to refer and attract new customers.
• Incorporate Referral Links – Include unique referral links to facilitate sharing.  These links can be tracked to identify successful referrals.
• Send Personalized Invitations – Reach out to your most loyal customers with personalized invitations to join your referral program. Make them feel special and appreciated.
• Use Referral Software – Invest in referral software that can automate the tracking of referrals and rewards. Referral Factory, Refersion and CrewFire are leading examples of referral tracking software that can be integrated into the marketing campaign to track characteristics of successful referral efforts. 
• Run Contests and Giveaways – Host referral-based contests or giveaways where participants earn entries by referring others. This can generate excitement and encourage referrals.
• Collaborate with Influencers – Partner with influencers or individuals who have a strong online presence. Their recommendations can carry weight and introduce your business to a new audience.
• Show Appreciation – Recognize and thank customers who refer others. Publicly acknowledge their efforts on social media or through your marketing channels.
• And finally, if something negative happens, immediate put out fires as fast as you can.  More effort is required to develop positive brand perceptions than negative ones. 

Building a strong referral program takes time and consistent effort. Make it easy for customers to refer others, and always focus on providing value and exceptional experiences. As you create a network of satisfied customers who are willing to refer, your business can grow through the power of word-of-mouth.