You’ve come up with a target market, and this target market is likely to know more people from the same target market because they probably socialize together, either online or offline.
But how can you convince them to refer their friends?
Think about this: Not asking for a referral is a recipe for stagnation. Asking for a referral is a chance hope. Incentivizing a referral is a great opportunity.
In most cases, the best way to get referrals is to come up with some sort of simple email you can send to each of your clients after you finish working with them that says something along the lines of:
“It was great working with you! If you know anyone else who might need a the same service, please give them this gift card. A large part of my business comes from referrals and it would be really appreciated.”
You can create a simple gift card with a discount code or monetary value and make sure that it expires within a certain time frame (I find that three months is a good length of time).
By asking for a referral and telling the client it's important, they will take it more seriously, and they will try to think of someone they know who they could pass it on to.
But how can you convince them to refer their friends?
Think about this: Not asking for a referral is a recipe for stagnation. Asking for a referral is a chance hope. Incentivizing a referral is a great opportunity.
In most cases, the best way to get referrals is to come up with some sort of simple email you can send to each of your clients after you finish working with them that says something along the lines of:
“It was great working with you! If you know anyone else who might need a the same service, please give them this gift card. A large part of my business comes from referrals and it would be really appreciated.”
You can create a simple gift card with a discount code or monetary value and make sure that it expires within a certain time frame (I find that three months is a good length of time).
By asking for a referral and telling the client it's important, they will take it more seriously, and they will try to think of someone they know who they could pass it on to.
MARKETING ACTION STEP 15: Create a referral incentive.
Design your incentive offer and write the email that is designed to stimulate referrals. Don't just copy and paste the sample email I wrote above, but re-word it in your own voice!
About Me
Martin Bentsen
Martin Bentsen, founder of Bentsen Breakthrough Consulting, has spoken numerous times at New York University, has run educational seminars at Actor's Connection on branding and marketing strategies for performers, and has written a 60 page informational book called Get Cast™, focusing on marketing tactics actors can use to find more consistent work. He is a member of both the National Association of Sales Professionals and Sales & Marketing Executives International, two highly acclaimed marketing organizations in the United States.
Martin graduated in 2011 with honors from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts' Film and Television program with a focus on directing and in 2010, he founded City Headshots®, which, according to Yelp, is ranked the top headshot studio in the United States. City Headshots currently employs seven people and has locations in New York, Denver, and Philadelphia. Some of City Headshots’ repeat clients include well known companies such as LinkedIn Corp, Facebook, American Express, and many of its photos have been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
As a business owner who has grown a photography business from zero to half a million dollars per year, Martin not only understands the intricacies of marketing and finding clients, but also what it takes for clients to successfully navigate the marketing world and make themselves memorable. He coaches small business owners one-on-one with their branding, marketing, and operational strategies, and in how they conduct themselves with actual clients.
Martin’s long term goal is to run major business seminars across the country while expanding his City Headshots brand to go international.
Martin graduated in 2011 with honors from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts' Film and Television program with a focus on directing and in 2010, he founded City Headshots®, which, according to Yelp, is ranked the top headshot studio in the United States. City Headshots currently employs seven people and has locations in New York, Denver, and Philadelphia. Some of City Headshots’ repeat clients include well known companies such as LinkedIn Corp, Facebook, American Express, and many of its photos have been featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
As a business owner who has grown a photography business from zero to half a million dollars per year, Martin not only understands the intricacies of marketing and finding clients, but also what it takes for clients to successfully navigate the marketing world and make themselves memorable. He coaches small business owners one-on-one with their branding, marketing, and operational strategies, and in how they conduct themselves with actual clients.
Martin’s long term goal is to run major business seminars across the country while expanding his City Headshots brand to go international.