Word of mouth remains the strongest form of advertising. In a recent Experian study, 54 percent of consumers said their purchase decisions are influenced by recommendations from someone they know. So, how do you encourage your customers to make referrals?
Try these strategies:
- Take advantage of LinkedIn. Connect with customers on LinkedIn and you can see who else they’re connected to. If a customer has a contact you’d love to work with, send a polite email requesting an introduction and stating your rationale. For example, you could mention that you’d like to talk with a university PR contact because you’ve done significant marketing work for other colleges. Be polite and give your contact an easy out — chances are, he’ll say “yes.”
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