Create a Written Referral Plan

The very best business you can get - the best source of customers - is by referral. A referral business relationship starts with a seed of trust, especially if the person sending the referral to you is trusted by the referral.

People make buying decisions three ways:

1. 50% come from Existing Relationships
2. 35% ask for a referral, "Who do you know that...?"
3. only 15% come from advertising

That means 85% of all buying decisions are made without ever looking at advertising! (According to a 2005 study on Consumer Behavior by Intelliseek, a leader in word-of-mouth measurement).

It makes sense to create a written referral plan - that is a plan to cultivate customer relationships that result in a steady flow of referrals. The compents that make up a good referral plan are:

1. Implement a "Stay in Touch" strategy using multiple tools. Your customers should hear from you on a regular basis. The goal should be to build a trusting relationship for your product or service.
2. Implement a "Request for Referrals" strategy - How, when, where, do you plan on requesting referrals from your clients. Brian Buffini uses this phrase, "Oh, by the way, I always have time for your referrals." Buffini recommends that phrase be put on everything...business cards, letters, other marketing pieces, voice mail, everything!
3. Implement a "Referral Recognition Program" - How do you plan to recognize and reward the customers that refer you?
4. Implement a strategy for taking your "A" clients to lunch and build that trusting relationship in person.
5. Implement a strategy for business thank you cards. Masters of the technique have been used by Joe Girard, Tom Hopkins, Bob Burg and many others. Those that use it swear by it's effectiveness.
6. Implement a "Birthday Card" sending strategy. Making your customers smile on their speacial day has an immeasurable impact. Too many people have no one that tells them "Happy Birthday, I'm glad you were born".
7. Implement a plan for keeping track of business that comes by referral so you can measure your referral plan agains your advertising. You may decide to stop traditional advertising all together because your referral business may be much more effective.

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