Word of mouth referrals are clearly an important source of contacts for your business. However many people don't have a strategy to increase the quantity and quality of those referrals, thinking that if they have satisfied customers, then the good word of mouth will "just happen". But having a plan to ensure positive referrals is as essential as any other type of business plan.
Let's say you have 99 satisfied customers at your store in any given day. They might mention your store to their friends if it comes up in conversation, but the person you can really count on to talk about your store is the 1 dissatisfied customer that you had, you know the one who talked on her cellphone throughout the entire transaction and then insisted that you wait for her to go get just one more item while the line of people behind her rolled their eyes? Well, that is the customer that is going to complain to her friends that your store is too crowded and the cashiers are impatient.
Instead of letting people like this control your reputation, work on cultivating those positive referrals. Start with your friends and family, utilize the organizations you belong to such as Who's Who or peer to peer business networks, and don't forget about the people who provide services to your business. The person who delivers your lunch or fixes your plumbing can be a great source of referrals- if you make sure that they are the right kind!
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