Guide to Asking for a Referral
People do business with brands they know, like, and trust. Getting others to know and like your brand takes effort, but can be accomplished fast with the right strategy. It’s implementing trust in your audience that takes more time.
A referral means someone you know is willing to recommend you as a viable solution-provider to somebody else. In other words, their trust becomes somebody else’s. This means not just one person knows and likes your brand, but trusts it enough to spread the news so others know, like, and trust you too. If a review invests trust, referrals cash that trust out.
Referrals are the 3rd R to our 4 R’s of Brand Building series; check out our other posts on research and reputationships.
Why You Should Ask for a Referral
Referrals are a personal, authentic indicator of brand performance. People trust people more than they trust brands. While you can advertise success stories and the benefits of your work, a personal recommendation is usually considered in a higher regard. Especially if a referral is asked for, that means they are looking for you. If you’re on the top of someone’s mind, they provide you as the solution.
As you begin to ask for and receive referrals, an increasing number of people will have you on their mind. They will know exactly what kind of solution you provide, and know the exact person who has that problem.
Referrals are also free. Since they are personal and authentic, referrals are a great way to leverage marketing. Even if one person might not need your services, another person they know could. Asking for referrals creates a chain of trust and a positive reputation.
How to Ask for a Referral
You can ask for a referral anytime throughout a business partnership or transaction, but it is most effective at the end, when the project is complete. A great way to get them to start thinking about it is by asking in the middle of the process, then follow up at the end. That way, the thought is planted for them before you ask again. Some simple, non-forceful ways to ask are:
“Hey! While I have you on the phone/here/as a partner, is there someone you know who could use our product/service?”
“I’m glad things are going well. Before you go, is there a friend or colleague you have that might need our product/service?”
Another way to collect referrals is by inviting them. Incentivize your referrals by creating a group or program for others to join. This is a great way to network; someone might not need your help now, but they could in the future.
It is essential to build reputationships with other professionals in your industry and especially in complementary industries. A “reputationship” is a combination of the reputation you’ve set for yourself, as well as the relationships you’ve made with others. You can read more about how to build these in this blog. You should build these reputationships with competitors as well! You not only can connect about common pain points and joys of your careers, but in case you have a solution they don’t provide, they can point clients to you.
Lastly, make sure you also GIVE referrals as you ask for them. Constantly asking for referrals without reciprocating when they ask can break down your brand’s reputation. This goes against the trust and likeability you’ve worked so hard to build.
Conclusion
Asking for referrals doesn’t need to be a lengthy process of constant reminders. It also doesn’t need to be awkward. Be confident and curious about it. Ask it as if you’re checking in on how someone’s day is going.
Though that seems casual, don’t underestimate the importance of referrals. They build your reputation and trust while you hardly have to do any work. It’s investing and cashing out trust simultaneously.
The bottom line is that people trust people. When people refer you, they also refer to their trust in you.
Enthuse Creative Can Help
Enthuse Creative can help your brand better leverage the power of research to help it grow. Reach out to us today for a free consultation.
