Six Ways to Start Using Referral Marketing for Your Business

If you’re like most business owners, you’re always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to market your business. You may have heard of referral marketing and are wondering how you can start using referral marketing in your own business. Referral marketing is a great way to increase traffic and sales, and it’s a strategy that can be easily implemented into any business. In this blog post, you will discover six ways—from leveraging social media to utilizing a referral marketing platform—through which you can start incorporating referral marketing into your business’s marketing strategy.

1. Create a Referral Program

The first—and most obvious—way to start incorporating referral marketing into your business’s marketing strategy is to create a referral program. That simply means that you create a program in which you offer incentives to customers who refer your business to family and friends. These incentives could be monetary, such as discounts or coupons, or they could be non-monetary rewards, such as a free gift. The idea is to make the reward worth their while but not so extensive that you start to stretch your business thin. However, the better the incentives, the more likely it will be for people to participate.

2. Leverage Social Media Referral Programs

Social media platforms also have their own referral programs that you can leverage to increase your customer base and boost sales. For example, Facebook allows businesses to create referral links that customers can share with their friends and family, which, in turn, will direct them to your business’ page. You can also integrate referral programs into other social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The more people that you can get to refer your business, the more likely it will be for potential customers to find out about you.

3. Email Campaigns

Another way to incorporate referral marketing into your business’s strategy is to utilize email. You can create emails that you send out to existing customers, asking them to refer your business or product to others. You can also use email campaigns as a way of rewarding those who have referred your business. By offering discounts or free gifts, you can incentivize customers to share your business with their friends and family.

4. Utilize Referral Marketing Platforms

Referral marketing platforms are a powerful tool for businesses to drive more sales. Think of it as word-of-mouth on steroids! A referral marketing platform essentially creates value by incentivizing customers to refer their friends and family to your business—all in one place. Furthermore, they make it easier to measure the effectiveness of your referral program by providing analytics. For business owners starting a referral program, begin with selecting incentives that align with the goals of your product or service. Leverage existing messaging channels like email or social media in order to quickly spread the news about your referral program. Incorporating referral marketing into your strategy may require some upfront investment in terms of time and resources, but the rewards can be immense.

5. Ask Your Customers for Reviews/Testimonials

Encourage customers to share their experiences with others via reviews or testimonials on your website or social media pages. This will not only create a positive impression of your business but also encourage potential customers to purchase your products or services. Make sure that you respond to any reviews and thank those who have left them. This is an excellent way to build trust and loyalty among your customer base.

6. Leverage Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is an effective way to increase brand awareness and generate more leads. Find influencers who are relevant to your product or service and collaborate with them to create content that will showcase the features of your business. This kind of marketing is especially effective for businesses in the fashion and lifestyle spaces, as people tend to be more likely to buy from brands that have been endorsed by someone with a large following.

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.