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Have you started a referral program for your business? There is nothing as powerful to a potential customer as a recommendation from a trusted friend or colleague - no amount of advertising and marketing collateral can match it. Not only are they more likely to become customers, but The Wharton School of Business also found that referred customers are 18% more likely to stay with a company on average.

That’s why many businesses, including FreedomVoice, are tapping into Customer Referral Programs. It might seem scary to start one from scratch, so we have some ideas to help you launch your program quickly, easily, and effectively. Here’s how:

1. Give an Incentive

When you ask customers to refer your product or service, they’re going to ask “What’s in it for them?” If you sell a service, consider giving them a month free or an upgrade for each referral they bring in. If you’re selling a product, what about giving them a discount on their next purchase? You’ll know what will work best for your business, but the point is, give them something for sharing the love!

 We’re giving away a $25 Amazon gift card for customer referrals*.

2.  Create a Trackable Process

Now that your customers have a reason to make a referral, how will they go about doing it?

When a customer calls to place order, make sure you ask them if they’ve been referred by a current customer – if so, great, and if they haven’t, you’ve planted the seed of the program (don’t push it though, let them use your product/service first before promoting it to your new customers).

If you take orders online, create a field for customers to let you know who referred them. In our program, existing customers can get a custom URL from WebLink (unique login required to access our online portal) to share. When someone buys after using a unique URL, our team is automatically notified.

3. Spread Awareness

If you have a great customer referral offer and no one knows about it, do you really have a customer referral program? Make sure your customers know about your new program. Here are a few ideas to help spread the word:

• Put messaging in your invoices
• Share in a customer newsletter
• Post about it on your blog and social media

4. Follow Through and Thank You!

Keep track of your referrals as they come in. Make sure every referral gets their reward and a thank you. The more you can show your appreciation, the more likely they are to continue to refer your products/service as a brand advocate.

Ready to start your referral program?Let’s see just how quickly it can grow!