In most small businesses, figuring out a marketing plan is not something everyone is comfortable with. I was a high school math teacher turned business owner while my wife was a business major in college so she had some broad knowledge. Trying to figure out what marketing you are going to do to get phone calls or people in the door or interested in finding out more about your business is a challenge. Referrals and testimonials are the key to unlocking a cheap and easy marketing plan. They are a solid foundation to which you can rely on as a customer base as they are friends and family of current customers. The hard part is working towards gaining those referrals/testimonials. There are many to choose from this article(https://www.rainsalestraining.com/blog/15-ways-to-get-referrals) and these are the ones that I will try for my business.
1st- Be Referrable
This is a key component. In order for people to want to refer you to family and friends, you have to make them feel like they would love to refer you. These people are the ones that will spread the word far and wide what a great business you have. Treat every customer like they are part of a special group of people and they will in turn return the favor.
2nd- Recognize and Thank Refferals
There are several different ways to do this. You could tie a dollar amount to referrals that generate a sale or a contract. You can respond personally with thank you notes or online. You can also call them to thank them over the phone and ask them to fill out a testimonial for you if possible.
3rd- Create a Link
Create a link on your website or Facebook page and let people know they can submit testimonials so you can build them into your pamphlets or website. It always looks good to have real people telling potential customers that do not know you what type of business you run.
4th- Inspire referrals
It is OK to tell people that most of your business comes from referrals and word of mouth. We do not do a lot of advertising other than a small ad in the local newspaper. We do not have TV commercials or radio ads. We have not needed to as of yet because the demand is high for assisted living, but also most of our residents are referred to us by families of other residents. We thank them for their patronage and ask them that if they like us as well to continue spreading the word as that is how we will continue to stay full.
Referrals and testimonials are a large part of our business and we strive to keep a positive name in our community. We have an amazing staff and do what we can to make sure our residents and families enjoy their time at our facility. They in turn have taken care of us when someone else is looking for placement for a family member. They are strong promoters of our business and that is something we do not take lightly.
