For a lot of companies, referral rates are a major source of new business. Referrals to your company can stem from word-of-mouth marketing or even from SEO, content marketing and social media. Your content strategy is key to giving you referral rates a boost. This is the best way to spread word about your business and potentially generate more traffic. If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to build a referral program.
Once you’ve done that, you can take the following steps into consideration.
Start Spreading the Word About Your Referral Program
You can’t expect to increase referrals if no one knows you’re even looking for them. You’d be surprised to learn what customers are willing to do if you simply ask. Of course, it’s not always that easy, but it does help. You should begin by informing your current and past customers, as well as your social media followers about your program.
SEO companies recommend dipping into your current customer base for referrals because they already have a history with your brand. They’ve purchased your products or services and if they liked it, they’re more likely to pass on the word about your company. The same goes with your online following. Social media can be a gold mine – anyone who’s following you has shown interest in your business. This means they may be willing to tell their family and friends about you.
Email marketing campaigns and social media marketing strategies are great tools for promoting referrals to companies.
Promote Referrals Before Purchases
A lot of companies focus on asking for referrals from paying customers. But in reality, you don’t need their money to get a good lead. Let people know they can refer others to your company without buying anything, and that they will still get the referral reward. Heck, this may even get them to finally commit to a purchase!
Reward the Advocate and the Friend
It’s not common for businesses to reward both the advocate and the friend they refer to the company. This is known as a two-sided incentive. Rewarding both parties will give them reasons to follow through and purchase from your business. It will also keep the referral process going – the friend of the advocate could earn double rewards by buying from you and then referring another friend to your organization.
Make Your Incentives Compelling
One way to pull this off is to make your incentives very enticing. Some opt to give the friend of the advocate a bigger reward, so they’ll follow through with their purchase. This also makes the referrer feel as though they’re looking out for their best buds. The incentives you offer could be a 50 percent discount on the purchase, a free product or service or something entirely different. Test out different offers to see what works the best. An SEO company can help you determine the incentives to offer and how to market them.
Make Your Referral Program Front and Center
You can do this by featuring it on your main website and on all of your social media profiles. Let it be known that you’re offering great rewards for referrals. The more people that see it, the better your referral rates will be. People today are always looking for deals and to share their experiences with brands. An SEO professional can help your company by designing the ads for your referral program. The more visible and prominent your ads are, the more likely they will be seen.
So what are you doing to boost referral rates in your business?
