Customer referrals: Viral marketing goes old school : Blog Business World

Link: Customer referrals: Viral marketing goes old school : Blog Business World.

Wayne Hurlbert writes in Blog Business World on the topic of customer referrals.  Referrals from satisfied customers are the best, and most cost-effective, way to gain new business.  Yet, chances are you’re not using referrals as effectively as you could.

It’s not because your customers aren’t willing to help.  Our own consumer surveys show that nine out of ten of your customers would reccomend you to their friends.  A whopping 78% are "very likely" to reccomend you.  The problem is that most of us don’t take advantage of these customer marketers.

It’s one thing to say that I’ll reccomend you to my friends.  It’s another thing altogether for me to actually do it.  You have to make it easy for me.

Hurlbert makes some very good points about how to ask for the referral.  You have to ask the right quesions at the right time and give the customer an incentive.  Everyone likes to be helpful, but good intentions are often just that, intentions.  We have to convert them to action.