Keely Lords
Brand Manager
Client referrals are a great way to grow your business, leveraging your existing customer base to attract new clients. Just as you would trust the judgment of a good friend or loved one above that of a stranger, your existing clients’ recommendations pack more punch with those in their own network than you do.
Here, you’ll learn about client referrals, why they matter, and 11 ways you can get them for your own brand.
What is a client referral and why is it important?
A client referral is the result of a current client recommending your product or service to someone else, resulting in new business for you.
Client referrals are a powerful strategy because they leverage existing trust and satisfaction in your customers, which are often more persuasive than traditional marketing tactics.
Referred clients also convert more quickly than those coming in out of the cold, have higher retention rates, and are more likely to be loyal to you over the long term. Also, a referral marketing campaign can be cheaper than traditional outbound initiatives.
Plus, there’s greater sincerity when positive commentary about your brand comes from the mouths of customers than from your sales and marketing teams.
How to get client referrals
1. Establish a relationship first
Before you even get started, establish a strong, positive relationship with your existing customers. Build trust with them before you start asking them to help you out.
When clients have confidence in you and are happy with what you’ve given them, they’ll be far more willing to return the favor and refer others to your business.
To do this, provide exceptional service, show genuine interest in their needs and pain points, and make them feel valued. Spend time understanding their goals and challenges. Check in regularly with them and communicate with them on a personal level; this will help solidify your relationship with them.
When customers feel that you genuinely want them to win without any ulterior motive at your end, that’s huge. They’ll be happy to help you with new referrals and ideally, new customers.
2. Ask at the right time
Timing is crucial when requesting referrals. Ask for referrals at moments when clients are most satisfied, such as after a successful project completion, a positive feedback session, or when they express gratitude for your services. Catching clients at these high points increases the likelihood of them agreeing to refer you to others.
You can identify those ideal times by monitoring for key touchpoints in the overall customer journey. Perhaps they’ve just hit a key milestone or metric in their business especially as a result of working with you. Or they’ve just renewed their contract with you, with new services added on.
Catch them at their high point, and they’ll be more than happy to partner with you in a referral program.
3. Provide incentive
Whether it’s discounts, cash rewards, free tickets, pro bono work, or even donations to a preferred non-profit, incentives are appealing. When you offer benefits and rewards to your current clients as a token of gratitude for their participation in your customer referral program, you can boost the number of referrals you receive.
A great practice is to ensure your incentives match your customers’ preferences. For example, if you’re a software company, offer extended trial periods or complimentary consulting services. Or, if you're in professional services, consider offering a discount on an upcoming project or a VIP pass to a conference in that client’s industry. When you align your rewards with customer interests, it’s a win-win situation.
4. Create a referral program
Develop a formal referral program with clear guidelines and rewards. Promote this program through your website, email sendouts, and social media channels to engage your customers. A structured program makes it easier for your top customers to put the word out and to know the benefits they’ll receive for participating.
As such, design your referral program to be as user-friendly and as straightforward as you can. Minimize touchpoints (using one-click where possible), use plain and friendly language, and include FAQs in landing pages and other messaging. Clearly explain how the program works, what rewards are in store, and most of all, what steps customers need to take.
In the end, transparency and simplicity will drive higher engagement.
5. Give a referral in return
Reciprocity is huge. When you take a quid pro quo approach with your customers, both teams win. Identify opportunities where you can help your customers gain new leads or partners, showing that you’re committed to their success as much as your own. A mutually supportive arrangement strengthens relationships and can win even more referrals for your brand.
As you go about your work, look for opportunities in your network where you can refer business to your clients. You might even refer clients to each other!
6. Minimize the effort required
Simplicity is essential. The whole process of signing up, getting a custom link, sending out referrals, and getting compensated for your efforts does not need to be an obstacle course. Provide referral templates, unique links, pre-written messages, one-click signups, and any other area where you can “do the work” for them ahead of time.
Also, make the experience seamless by integrating referral tools into your communication channels, including easy-to-fill referral forms that automatically fill with the client’s existing information in your database.
It’s all about minimizing friction and hassle – and the result will be more referrals.
7. Personalize the request by sending customized gifts
People appreciate a thoughtful gift. It shows you’re thinking specifically about them and not just sending out cookie-cutter gestures of appreciation. When you message your customer about your referral program, send a customized gift that aligns with your customer’s own interests. This will make a positive response more likely.
Consider gifts like branded merchandise (especially if your customers really love your brand), gourmet baskets, free tickets to an event, etc., will make your referral invitation more memorable.
8. Provide good customer service
A positive customer experience is the foundation of successful referral programs. When your clients consistently feel good interacting with your business, and their concerns and pain points resolved quickly, they feel valued. 83% of customers feel more loyal when their concerns and complaints are quickly resolved.
9. Create customer-centric content
When creating content for your blog and landing pages, tell stories that your clients can relate to. These can include case studies and testimonials – not just written content, but also as videos and podcasts – that allow clients to share their triumphs. Sometimes offering a different medium other than written content can engage and capture the attention of your audience.
10. Exceed expectations
Finally, go above and beyond. Don’t just meet expectations – exceed them. Surprise your customers with exceptional results, added value, and genuine care for their own success. “Delight” is the fourth stage in the buyer’s journey (awareness, consideration, decision, delight) and it’s there for a reason.
When customers are wowed by what you’ve given them, they’ll respond in kind.
How Postal helps you get client referrals
You're looking to build a strong client referral program, and Postal can help you take it to the next level. With Postal, you can automate sending personalized gifts, making it effortless to show appreciation to your clients and encourage them to spread the word about your business.
Choose from Postal’s wide selection of customizable gifts, ensuring you find the perfect items that resonate with your clients, making your referral requests more impactful.
Postal also provides analytics tools to measure the effectiveness of your referral program, giving you valuable insights to refine your strategy and optimize your success.
Integrating Postal into your customer referral asks is a powerful campaign that Postal experts can help you with - reach out to learn more!
