Research proves referred clients cost less to acquire, are easier to close, and are more valuable to your business over time.

So why don’t more companies ask for them?

In this episode, Tanya Bamford joins Victoria and Mark to share ways to help you fire up your referral engine, and get more business without spinning your wheels. And it’s backed by hard, verifiable research.

Tanya Bamford is the managing director of R/A Marketing, a sister company to Remodelers Advantage. Prior to joining R/A Marketing, Tanya owned an award-winning marketing firm serving small and mid-size businesses. A sought-after speaker, Tanya has presented more than 20 seminars on marketing-related topics ranging from strategic planning to social-media marketing.

You can’t take referrals for granted — you have to maintain regular communication with your past clients. You can take charge of it by nurturing your relationship with your clients over time. Tanya says you have to remind them, and give them the tools to spur those referrals, including:

• The power of endorsements from clients on others
• Starting with delivering a great customer experience
• Identifying who your promoters are
• Tracking you promotor segment
• How and where to ask for referrals
• Plotting out your communications strategy
• Why direct mail lives
• The channels that work
• Why awards should be announced
• Enabling your team to help you get those referrals
• Why referral rewards programs may not really work for remodelers
• And so much more …

To take a deeper dive into referral marketing, here are two resources Tanya referenced:

• Referral Programs and Customer Value
• Referral Marketing: Acquiring and Retaining Ideal Customer Advocates through Best Practices