“A customer talking about their experience with you is worth ten times more that which you write or say about yourself.”
– David J. Greer, Wind in Your Sails
Marketing tactics like social media, email outreach, radio ads, etc. are all great sources of marketing, however, there is one that stands out among the rest… Word of Mouth marketing! According to Nielson, 92% of people trust recommendations from family and friends leaving “Word of Mouth” marketing one of the greatest tools that you can have in your sales toolbox.
To make the most out of this marketing tactic, a great option is to create a referral program for your clients.
How does a referral program work?
A referral is one of the best gifts a client can give and you shouldn’t be afraid to mention or ask for it. A simple option is to ask your client to share their experience on working with you and how their trip went by leaving a review. You can always ask them to leave a review on your Facebook page or ask for it and you can add it manually to your website. This is a simple way to get your clients considering the option to recommend your services to friends and family.
Creating your own referral program.
Consider creating your own referral program where you can incentivize clients to refer new clients to your business! A referral gift or “thank you” could be in the form of a simple gift, like a new passport holder, a gift package of snacks and wine, or nice luggage tags. Another option is to waive fees for them or offer a discount when they plan their next trip. If you are just starting out and don’t have too much extra cash to incentivize clients with, a simple thank you note can go a long way too. 🙂
If you decide to create a referral program (which we highly recommend) be sure to share it with clients after their trip and consider adding it to your website and/or email signature to keep the option top of mind when a client interacts with you.
Actionable Steps:
Take the steps below to create a quick and simple referral program that will be awarding for both you and your clients.
1. What does your “referral” look like?
Where will your refers come from? You will want to decide the different ways and places that a referral can come into your business. Will you just plan on asking the potential new client if they were referred by someone during the first meeting? Is there a place on a new client form that they can list a referral? If someone leaves a review for you, will you incentivize them the same way?
2. What is your referral award?
A great way to encourage referrals is to offer a special reward for it! Will you keep it to a physical gift or offer a discounted fee on the next trip for your client? You can also offer a win-win for both the old and new clients by offering a gift or waived fee/discount for both of them! For example, if an older client refers their neighbor to you maybe you offer a discounted service fee for the new client and the current client’s future trip they book with you.
3. How will you advertise your referral program?
Decide where and how you want to let your clients know about your referral offering. Some agents might list it in their email signature or website. You can also mention the referral program after a client’s trip when you are getting feedback from how everything went. It’s important to make sure that your clients know about the referral program to remind them to share your professional expertise with their friends and family who might also be planning an upcoming trip.