6 Steps to Generating More Meaningful Referrals
Getting new customers for your asphalt business can be challenging, especially when there’s so much competition out there. This is why it’s crucial that you provide an exceptional experience to all your customers – that way, they’ll be more inclined to share their positive experience within their own networks, and in turn this will increase your business’s overall reputation, making it easier to turn customers and potential customers into genuine raving fans.
The truth is, the best reviews and referrals come from people who are genuinely enthusiastic about your products or services, as they will naturally share that enthusiasm with their friends and family. Acquiring new prospects through word of mouth may be the oldest marketing trick in the book, yet these referrals still remain one of the highest forms of praise for businesses.
So, how exactly can you get your existing customers to refer your asphalt business to their friends, family, colleagues, and networks? We’ve compiled a list of 6 tips to help you generate more genuine referrals…
1. Exceed expectations and make sure your company stands out
This is arguably the most important step, because if you consistently exceed your customer’s expectations, they will naturally want to keep coming back to you and share their experience with others. You should try to do more than just achieve your customer’s goals; strive to go above and beyond and prove to be an indispensable resource to them so you can maintain that trust and credibility.
Remember that first impressions last, so make sure when you meet a new customer for the first time, that you and your crew look professional. Keep your company vehicle clean, ensuring that it looks legitimate with a high-quality paint job and stencilling. Making sure that your fleet of paving equipment is in tip-top shape can go a long way as far as first impressions go.
2. Keep existing customers engaged
In order to maintain your spot at the top of your customers’ minds, you need to continue investing in the relationships you make with them and provide ways to keep them engaged with your brand all throughout their customer journey and beyond.
3. Listen, respond to, and adapt to both positive and negative feedback
Getting a negative review can be uncomfortable and may take you by surprise, but on the bright side it can be an excellent opportunity for growth within your business; that is, if you really listen and adapt to it. You need to know how your customers feel about your products, services, and overall experience so you can use their feedback to work through the issue, improve your relationship with that customer, and improve your company as a whole.
4. Distribute your content and resources across multiple different channels
People are more likely to do business with you if you provide valuable resources to them. Additionally, if you want your customers to go the extra mile for you, you need to provide them with different, easy ways to do so. The more places you appear and the more resources you offer, the more comfortable your clients will feel in providing positive feedback. Referral programs are a great resource to have to incentivize people to refer your business!
5. Refer and engage with other companies
Making it a habit to give other businesses a referral is an excellent way to receive one back from them even if you don’t have a formal relationship with them. It’s like a chain reaction!
6. Don’t force it!
If a client says they don’t give referrals, simply just respect their request/decision and continue to provide excellent service so that if they do refer you in the future, it’s because they genuinely want to, not because they feel forced or pressured.
The bottom line is, there is no set ‘best’ way to generate more referrals, because different businesses need different things and have different goals, even if they are working in the same industry. One thing that remains true for all businesses, however, is that if you want to get your customers and potential customers raving about your products or services, you have to consistently go above and beyond with them, and provide outstanding customer service throughout the entire customer experience!
Not getting as many referrals or online customer reviews as you’d like?
Don’t sweat it – Go Online Asphalt offers various services to help you maintain your customer relationships, improve your overall business reputation and turn your customer reviews into your most competitive edge!
Contact us today to find out more!
