I find it very easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole – that fascinating, fast-moving rabbit hole – of digital marketing/content marketing/social media.
I’ve been deeply involved in it for many years; and yet, do you know what the most important question has always been, no matter how that space has evolved?
How can I get more referrals?
That’s right, it’s the same question any business person asked in 1950. Or 1850. Or….you get the idea.
Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, content marketing…all of it is potentially valuable. But ultimately, for many types of businesses, these methods and platforms are (or should be) secondary considerations. In fact, they can be distractions, if they are not deliberately and effectively leading to referrals.
I opened my desk drawer and looked at a pile of business cards I’ve collected via networking over the past year. In thumbing through them, it was obvious that just about every one of the people and businesses represented would gain the most potential growth and revenue through a pro-active referral strategy.
Tweet ThisBy all means, look at various ways of communicating about your product on-line, and off-line. But perhaps you should benchmark every single endeavor by its likely impact on the person-to-person referral.
Do you have a “referral baton” to hand off?
Adding more on-line noise won’t get you noticed. Turning clients and colleagues into talkative fans, however, will get you business.
I’ve given some practical advice about being referral-worthy and referral-ready in these prior posts:
A concise, well-aimed, memorable message is the key to getting referrals – it’s like a baton you pass along in a relay race. If you don’t yet have your baton, I can help you develop it. That’s what Clarity Therapy is all about.
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Also on the blog: How to Become Referral-Ready – I’ll Speak at Your Next Event!
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