Referrals come when a customer has had a good experience with your business, Right? Well, sometimes it’s not quite that simple. Referrals can be a reward at the end of the sales journey, but they certainly aren’t guaranteed. Here are 4 tips to increase referrals for your business:

1. Gratitude and Over the Top Service

People do business with people that they know, trust and like. In a world of ‘average’ it can be something as simple as a short personal note to your customers or a follow up call to make sure your product or service did the job it was intended to do. Equally as important is to make sure your customers know you appreciate their business. Go out of your way to thank your customers, adding as much of a personal touch as possible.

2. Clear Communications

To meet and exceed your customer’s expectations, you must first make sure that you know what exactly they want. Take the time to talk about your product or service, and write down their list of expectations. Have them review and sign it so there are no misunderstandings. If you know exactly what they need and the customer knows exactly what they are getting, the experience with your company will be a much better one.

3. Resolve Issues and Welcome Feedback

When things don’t always go as planned, work hard to resolve those issues as quickly as possible. Take responsibility for your part and don’t play the ‘blame game’. Work with your customers – not against them – to resolve problems, and ask for feedback on how to improve. If you take their feedback seriously, they are more likely to refer your business. Just because something goes wrong doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve lost the referral.

4. Ask for a Referral or a Testimonial

Too many businesses fall short in this category. You can be leaving valuable leads on the table unless you learn to ask. A simple questions like “Do you know anyone else that can use my product or service?” can produce valuable leads for your business. If they don’t, then ask “Would you be willing to write a review?” If they say yes, then make that process as easy as possible for them and, again, be sure to show gratitude and appreciation, through things like handwritten notes, referral programs or added discounts.

When you do a good job and your customer is happy, chances are good that they will be happy to tell others. When you increase referrals, you’ve found an invaluable way to promote your business.