Henry Baker helps business owners, entrepreneurs, consultants, coaches and authors attract more clients, get them spending more, returning more often and referring more people. For a FREE report "How to Double Your Profits in 117 Days or Less -- Even In Recession" head to http://www.henry-baker.co.uk
Are there a whole bunch of pin strip suit wearing portly gentlemen with green visor hat wotsits sat at the 'cages' to an angry mob of credit which is bursting to escape and unleash another round of 'Boom and Bust' on us?
Or is it that those pin stripe wearing portly gents are sat in the smoking lounge of the Polo Club having a last G &T and a Cuban Cigar while they 'Get Ready' to free up credit?
Ridiculous...
And of course yesterday it was announced house prices rose in March.
Oh... Well... Woopeee doo...
Whatever you do, do not start hoping, wishing dreaming for better times - or start thinking they are just around the corner.
Having spent a long time learning the ins and out of economics at the London School of Economics it's my assertion that 'NO ONE' has got any earthly idea what the heck is going to happen.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER.
All you need to focus on is what YOU can affect (and it 'aint that bunch of hairy assed credit which has been caged up for the last 18 months).
Anyway, sorry... Little too much tea this morning.
Now back to the important stuff... Stuff which YOU control...
I'm always being asked:
"What FREE marketing strategies really work?"
Well, first off, FREE isn't all it's cracked up to be. Why? Well, anyone can do FREE! if you want real POWER in your market you should be acquiring the MOST expensive customers - the ones NOBOBDY else will dare...
Anyway...
When it comes to FREE, the best marketing strategy, hands down, by far is of course REFERALLS!
Referred customers tend to be easier to sell to, less price resistant, more loyal and more likely to refer others. That makes them well worth going for.
Here's a 4 step system to help you BOOST your referrals:
1. ASK - As we all know, 'if you don't ask, you won't get' and that is certainly true for referrals. Most customers are happy to provide referrals if the service has been good. And if it hasn't, that needs to be fixed anyway. The best time to ask is immediately after a 'happy' purchase.
2. Set the Right Expectations - From the moment you acquire a new customer you should make it clear that you rely on referrals to keep your costs and prices down. To facilitate that you will be asking for referral contacts if they are happy with your service.
3. Reward - When you receive a referral make sure you go back the person who made it and give them a gift to thank them e.g. a box of chocolates, something you sell etc. This will both increase that person loyalty to you and make future referrals much more likely.
4. Follow Up - Once you have a new referral make sure you follow up with them quickly. Be sure to mention where you got there name (having asked if that's OK), and give them something physical to pass on to other people. That may be vouchers, offer cards, sample etc. THIS IS WHERE MOST PEOPLE FAIL.
Pretty simple huh...
The key is to turn your referral program into a SYSTEM and make sure every one of your employees knows how to use the SYSTEM and is using the SYSTEM.
Dedicated to your success,
Henry.
Copyright Henry Baker 2009
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