Simple Tricks to Expand Your Clients’ List

It is the whitest method to increase a company’s customer base over time. Additionally, learning how audio and video transcription can help expand your client list can open new avenues for growth and outreach, which we will discuss later.

In the meantime, here are some tips on getting your referral game by talking to your existing clients:

Be Patient

Gaining referrals from your current client base is in no way an instantly achievable task. You cannot demand referrals from present clients. Nor can you consistently request referrals from them. Patience is key as referred clients are 16% higher in value than non-referred clients over a lifetime.

You must be patient and understand that customers are not employees looking for leads for you. They are merely just helping you out. It is probably their way of showing their appreciation for your excellent service.

Don't Rush the Referral Process

Try not to ask your customer for a referral directly after you have just made the sale. There is still a crucial after-sales process that needs to be effectively managed by you first before you can even begin to ask for referrals.

If you request a referral right after a sale and the client happens to experience problems with your product, then your referral request would make them even more upset. Some clients may even get upset right away as they are taking delivery of their new product.

It's best to deliver excellent sales services first, before and after selling your product. Continuously follow up the sale with your customer over the next few months. The right time to ask for a referral is around three to six months after the purchase.

This may seem like a long time, but the idea is to keep building up your client and referral base to create a snowball effect for future sales.

Get An Idea of the Referral’s Relationship with Your Customer

It’s very possible that your customer may refer you over to just anyone. From your point of view, it may seem great that your customer is genuinely forwarding you onto another prospective client.

But if the client has no actual relationship with that person, then you may be wasting your time.

The reason for this is that your customer might just select a random person who has no interest in your product. The customer doesn't even have any substantial connection or relationship with this person, but they did refer to them as some form of a good gesture to you.

This does happen often, and when you do contact that person, they may not appreciate you trying to sell them something. They may even get angry with your customer for handing their information over to you. This can cause friction between you and your current customer.

It's advisable to at least find out the relationship between your customer and the person they are referring to. The closer they are, the better it will be for you to connect with the referral.

Adapt a Friendlier Approach

When you do finally initiate contact with your referral, do not adopt a serious and straight-up tone as you would for a cold call. Speak to the person as if you are already within their social circle.

Technically you are because your customer brought you in there due to your outstanding service.

By this time, you would have created a great relationship with your customer. It is then possible for you to get as much needed information from your customer regarding the referral’s interests or hobbies.

Planning time with such useful information can increase your chances of converting your referral.

Such information as a person's interest can be used to simply break the ice when contacting them. You are a part of their inner circle now, so act like it.

Don't push the product too hard. Instead get the relationship going. Remember the snowball effect?

Referral Commission

Paying a person commission for referring a customer is a technique that has been in use for decades. In the motor industry, if a person you know brings you a client who successfully purchases a car, the dealership then pays that person a percentage (or set fee) of the profit from the sale.

Similarly, you can undertake the same approach in generating new leads by providing promotions for referrals. You can inform your clients or friends of your willingness to reward them with each referral.

Promotions in this regard may vary from gift cards to coupons to actual cash. This tactic can be more effective when designed as a referral campaign that focuses on your existing clientele.

Offer a prize in the form of an Apple or Android gift card. Send the campaign out to your ten most viable candidates and tell them that the first person that responds with a referral will get the gift card. This is a great way to have fun with your clients while finding more clients.

Receive and Hand Out Referrals

Don't only stick to continually asking others for referrals. Hand out some yourself too. Your clients are people too, and they also navigate through the same difficulties and obstacles as you do.

Help them out by referring other people you know to your customer. Your customer will feel obliged and will want to return the favor by referring someone back to you.

This is a grand strategy that has been effectively practiced by sales personnel in many different industries. However, you must practice this strategy correctly by making sure your timing is spot on.

Don't get into the whole referral game before you even make a sale. Be patient and work your magic later, after the sale has been made.

Stay Close to Your Clients

After you have made a sale, try your best to remain in close contact with your customer. This way, asking for a referral won't seem like such a nuisance to your customer.

Keeping in touch with your client continually even months after the sale will help develop a relationship that can lead to more sales.

This works even if your customer initially said no for referrals. Them not having anyone to refer to doesn't mean that they won't have any referrals at all in the future.

They probably couldn't think of a referral when you asked. If you stay in touch with them, then they can merely message you when they do find a referral.

Automatic Transcription Software Increasing Client Interaction

Automatic transcription software such as Ecango is an essential tool for the growth of businesses. In the contemporary business world, proper and timely communication is of primordial importance to the development of business.

Audio and video transcriptions facilitate the capture of essential and lengthy information enabling businesses to adequately serve and interact with clients and thus expand their customer base.

Final Thoughts

The aim should be to offer outstanding service to your existing clients who will then refer you over to friends and family because of that excellent service.

Stay in touch with your customers on social networks such as Linkedin or Facebook. This way, your referrals will be a simple message away. All your customers will need to do is send you their friend's details in your Linkedin inbox.