The Best Online Marketing Strategy – Referrals?

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What Do You Mean “The Best Online Strategy Is A Combined One?”

Best Online Marketing Strategy

Best Online Marketing Strategy


I’m a NERD…
And even though I have worked with some of the top websites and SEO firms on the internet, with some sites with over 3 million visits per week or 12 million visits per month. It surprised me to find out that some major SEO Business Development teams still relied on referrals as it’s best source of new business rather than just pay per click or direct mail.
“So are you saying that some SEO companies rely on referrals rather than SEO?”
Yes. I am. Keep reading…
 

Five Ways To Get Your Ideal Clients Through Referrals…

Isn’t it interesting that Google (and Bing) rely on a direct-mail strategy with their coupons for Pay Per Click.
And isn’t it funny how vegetarians eat veggies and humanitarians eat… (I’m kidding – just wanted to make sure you’re still with me).
The point I’m getting at is the wisest approach to marketing (and the web for that matter) is a COMBINED STRATEGY.
I have first-hand experience that referrals are the easiest and fastest way to get your ideal customers. Almost 90% of my current clients came from referrals from other clients and to be honest several head-hunters (not real head-hunters, I mean recruiters).
You need a referral system, so that you consistently get referrals. No matter what else is going on, you must have a formalized, sequential process of multiple referral sources. And that is what this article is about.
You want referrals, because they are the least expensive, have the least risk, and have the highest leverage and highest potential payoff of any of the different ways to acquire new customers. Additionally, the law of consistency is such that if they recommend you to someone else, they have committed themselves also.
That means that ideal clients refer the best ideal clients.

Referrals, The Stats

A recent poll of businesses showed that

  • 41.4% of businesses count on referrals for over 80% of their sales.
  • One third of businesses receive less than half of their business from referrals,
  • with the remaining businesses somewhere in between.

(Source Activerain)
The truth is you have to have multiple referral sources – not just one.
It’s like diversification when investing – don’t put your eggs in one basket – and don’t depend on a single source for getting clients.
If you only have one source for getting new clients, including referrals, and something happens to that source (such as a “Google Slap” or an algorithm change) that renders that one source void. Why to put it mildly – “Don’t let the door hit ya, where the dog should of bit ya”.

How To Reach Your Ideal Customer

So how do you structure a strategic referral system for your business? “How many uses are there for a paper clip?” The options are limited only by your imagination. However, most effective referral systems have certain key elements in common. For example, the first steps you need to take are to set the stage and decide who your ideal clients are…
Who is your ideal customer?
Your Ideal prospect is a type customer that you would like to have many more of (perhaps hundreds more of). Consider your current clients right now – which one of them is ideal? If you have no ideal clients, let’s name who they should be. Here are some questions to help isolate a list:
Write down the answers to these questions – so you know what direction to take.                                                                     
In order to get the ideal clients – you have to focus on the ideal clients and their needs. You have to “Step Into Their Shoes.”
– What benefit (or benefits) does your ideal prospect want and need?

What can you provide that your ideal prospect is looking for in terms of solutions?
– What do your competitors provide? What do they do better than you and worse than you?

Check your biggest competitors to see what they are providing – in a way that fulfills this need.
– What do you provide? What things are better or worse than your competitor(s)?

Compare yourself to your competitors – what can you provide that makes you much better than the competition?
– What is the ideal prospect’s biggest problem that is not being met? How could you help him solve it?
You need to clearly understand your client. Know him almost better than you know yourself. Out of all of the problems – what would you say is the biggest?
– What are your goals? (Examples: More money, more free time, more control, to be able to sell your business in 5 years, to be able to have the business run itself, etc.)
– Really step into the shoes of your ideal prospect. Once you have really assumed the “Role” of your ideal client, do the following exercise: Write down generally what you think your ideal client is most likely doing from dusk till dawn.                                    
 
– If you still don’t know what their day looks like – ask an ideal client.

You should be getting a clear idea of exactly the needs and lifestyle of your client. Isn’t this awesome? It gets better.
Step Three: Find Out Where To Promote To Your Ideal Client.
Estimated Time: 1 Hour
– Write down the Demographics of your ideal prospect:                             

• Age
• Buying preferences (retail – upscale or discount, direct mail magazines, phone, etc.)
• Educational background
• Ethnic group
• Financial worth
• Gender
• Geographic region
• Hobbies
• Income
• Marital status
• Membership in associations or groups
• Neighborhood
• Other
• Political views
• Position
• Religion
• Subscriptions to magazines, cable or newspapers
• Type automobile
• Type business
• Type investments (home owner, savings account, stocks, bonds, etc.)
• Vacations

– Now go through the ideal clients Day and Demographics and figure out the best places to meet – talk to your ideal clients and brainstorm 5 ways to contact your clients.                         
You want to create some great ideas that your competitors are not doing in order to start contacting these clients with the vital services that they need.
– Write down who can refer these types of prospects to you.                             
For each of the following groups include both existing and former. For example, you would consider existing and former vendors, customers, employees, competitors, etc. Or you could consider combinations, such as former employees of competitors.
 

• Association members (Fraternal, social, industry, charity, or interest based.)
• Church members
• Competitors
• Customers
• Employees
• Governmental regulatory agencies
• Leaders or celebrities who your prospects admire, respect and/or trust.
• Magazine editors, writers for publications.
• Neighbors and friends
• Other businesses and professionals who your prospects trust in your area.
• Other businesses and professionals who your prospects trust outside your area.
• Prospects
• Prospects who did not convert
• Relatives
• Special interest groups (cigars, travel, music, whale watching, etc.)
• Vendors
• Who do the prospects do business with before, during and after the prospect does business with you: In other words, who has the customers you want

Step Four: Immediately start getting referrals from current clients and vendors.
– Using the list that you created in the earlier steps, create a list of people to contact. By any means possible get their Email, Phone or Address (Preferably all three).               
Note: The bigger the list, the better.
Of course, they must be relevant names to your business and contacts. This is where you should be looking to build a large, ever-growing email list, and continue to build that list as the years go on. Note: Be sure that all emails sent have the option at the bottom to stop receiving your emails.
Step Five: Create a custom email to your current clients – an email to your current customers, explaining that it’s a privilege for someone to be your customer.
 Most people get it wrong. They beg for customers. A great way to get referral business that we’ve developed is to write a letter to your current customers, explaining that it’s a privilege for someone to be your customer.
Dear [Client].
 I just wanted to say that I enjoy doing business with you more than any other clients I work with – and I realized that you associate with other amazing people, like yourself – friends and vendors who mirror your values and qualities.
 I’m writing as a service to alert you to the fact that my consulting practice is getting extremely full, and I’ll only be able to accept maybe a dozen or so more businesses.
 You obviously know the exact people I prefer working with that you’d like to extend to them the opportunity of referring your valued and trusted associates to you.
 I would prefer your referrals to any other source of customers or clients.
 For example: We helped [insert another client’s name] tremendously since they started with us [specifics – Help the customer or client see a clear picture of who in their lives could benefit most effectively, and naturally, from your services or products.]
 In fact you may know several businesses just like this…[Show them what that person or entity would be doing or buying right now—so that the picture is vivid.]
 But before I accept new people from the outside, I want to alert you, because if you would like to refer any of your associates or friends to me, I’ll give you first priority. I ask only that you don’t dally.
 Give me a call and register their names so I’ll know how many spaces I should reserve for you. I appreciate your business.
 Sincerely,
 Charles
CEO World Class Media

Conclusion

Don’t rely on just Google, last year Google made over 500 changes to their algorithm – meaning almost twice per day. You should be calculating what has the best return. I have found genuine emails, good quality products and word of mouth to be the most effective and low cost way to reach your ideal clients. And above all, show up and communicate. Many developers and people just disappear or never show. And they don’t last long.
What are your thoughts on a combined marketing strategy?

Referrals Info-Graphic

Referrals Info-Graphic

Feedback: What are your thoughts?

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