I have browsed through the older threads on the subject of referrals, but allow me to talk a bit about referrals and then get your (greatly appreciated) feedback on my plan.
I am in need of customers. There are over 20,000 people living within my service area (according to the 2010 census), yet I have only serviced 70 people over the last 4 years (some of those are website design and/or hosting with recurring revenue, but for the most part they are computer repair customers). I have tried radio (twice), Adwords, Facebook, Yellow Book, USPS Every Door Direct Mail, local tv station's paid business listing, was a member of our local chamber of commerce for two years, and none of these ever provided a positive return on investment. It took all those methods just to get me my 70 customers.
Every single customer I have serviced has been truly jaws-open at the amazing experience they had and the quality of work I did. And every single one of them has said "I've got a lot of friends who I'm going to refer to you."
And only a couple ever have, resulting in a single new customer each.
I want to incentivize referrals. My plan is to take my existing business card (professionally printed at an online card printing shop) and on the back run the cards through my printer.
Each existing customer will be given 5 cards. Each card will have their name on the card, and a "coupon" good for 20% off labor. For each card returned, the existing customer gets 10% off their next appointment. So if all 5 are returned, the existing customer would get 50% off their next appointment.
I realized that I have 70 "fans" of my business, and if I can give them a good enough incentive to go out and spread the word I would get more customers, and then THOSE new customers would refer more customers, and soon enough I finally have the booming computer business I've been wanting all these years.
Your thoughts?
I am in need of customers. There are over 20,000 people living within my service area (according to the 2010 census), yet I have only serviced 70 people over the last 4 years (some of those are website design and/or hosting with recurring revenue, but for the most part they are computer repair customers). I have tried radio (twice), Adwords, Facebook, Yellow Book, USPS Every Door Direct Mail, local tv station's paid business listing, was a member of our local chamber of commerce for two years, and none of these ever provided a positive return on investment. It took all those methods just to get me my 70 customers.
Every single customer I have serviced has been truly jaws-open at the amazing experience they had and the quality of work I did. And every single one of them has said "I've got a lot of friends who I'm going to refer to you."
And only a couple ever have, resulting in a single new customer each.
I want to incentivize referrals. My plan is to take my existing business card (professionally printed at an online card printing shop) and on the back run the cards through my printer.
Each existing customer will be given 5 cards. Each card will have their name on the card, and a "coupon" good for 20% off labor. For each card returned, the existing customer gets 10% off their next appointment. So if all 5 are returned, the existing customer would get 50% off their next appointment.
I realized that I have 70 "fans" of my business, and if I can give them a good enough incentive to go out and spread the word I would get more customers, and then THOSE new customers would refer more customers, and soon enough I finally have the booming computer business I've been wanting all these years.
Your thoughts?
