7 tips for stronger referral relationships

Great relationships lead to great referrals — the foundation for an ever-growing client base.

Case in point:

I was getting my haircut a couple of weeks ago, and my stylist — the salon owner, now in business for over twenty years — told me why she tries to always accommodatewalk-ins. When she was first starting out, a woman covered in dirt walked in straight from fighting a forest fire. The woman had been turned down at another salon and was incredibly grateful that this stylist was able to fit her in—so grateful that she has since referred nearly two dozen women to this salon. This salon owner has a packed schedule and can rarely accommodate new clients, but it’s easy to see why she does everything she can to get walk-ins paired with one of her stylists.

Referrals

Referrals are built on relationships and the ability to deliver results. By helping your clients achieve what they are trying to accomplish, you create a happy, satisfied pool of people who are frequently more than willing to spread the word about your services.

Asking your clients for referrals is one great way to help grow your clientele. But another powerful way to increase your incoming stream of referrals and grow your client base is to create relationships with other local business owners who also serve your target demographic.

Recommendations from other professionals carry more weight

Let’s say I have a new client who is concerned about the safety of lifting weights.

I tell her: “I’ll take great care of you. I’m careful to load progressively and am a stickler for proper form. Safety is my number one priority.”

It only goes so far. Depending on my tone of voice and how comfortable the person feels in my presence she might just buy in and sign up. But it’s certainly not anywhere near as compelling as having a professional in an outside business make the case on my behalf.

For example, let’s say a local chiropractor tells that same person:

“You need to go see Nicki. She’s meticulous about progression and proper positioning. She’ll take great care of you and will help you get to where you want to be. I have sent several clients to her and they all love working with her.”

A recommendation from someone else is always more powerful especially if it comes from someone that the client trusts, in this case another business owner.

Be helpful

Not only do these recommendations carry more weight, they’re helpful. People don’t want to search for a service provider—they want to be referred to someone that others know, like, and trust.

Cultivating referral relationships lets you be more helpful to your clients, other businesses, and indirectly, your own business. The concept of paying it forward doesn’t just work in the drive-through lane at the coffee shop. If you consciously think about helping another business owner grow her business, yours too will grow.

7 ways to strengthen your business referral relationships

• Co-promote via social channels
  Retweet tweets or share Facebook status updates from partner businesses that would benefit your audience.

• Joint events and sponsorships
  Consider securing shared or adjacent booth spaces at races or exhibits that are relevant to both businesses.

• Be a guest speaker
  Offer to speak at the partner event and feature other relevant business owners at one of your own events.

• Special promotions or partner specials
  Offer something special to new clients coming from this partner business. This can be as simple as a discount on a first visit. Here are four ideas:

• Be a contributor
  Offer to contribute a monthly tip or series of articles to the business’s monthly newsletter. This positions you as an expert in your field and gets your name in front of a new audience.

• Be a great partner
  Be the referrer! The more effective you are at helping generate leads for other businesses that complement your own, the greater the return to your own business. It just works that way.

• Say thank you!
  Don’t forget to thank your referrer for each and every referral they send your way.

And of course, be sure to take really great care of clients that are referred to you by another business. The client will most certainly report back to tell the other owner about their experience. If you give exceptional service to clients sent your way, you’ll most certainly continue to see a steady stream of referrals.

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