If you've been doing business online for any time at all, you should have some type of database of customers at your disposal. One of most underutilized resources we may have could be that database. It is your goldmine. Your oil field. Your field where you grow your crops.
When I was in the sales business offline, there was a strategy we always used to grow our list of potential future customers. We always, and I do mean always asked for the customer we were selling to, to provide us a list of those that would be interested in what we had to offer. Even when we didn't make the sale, the list would be provided.
You may be surprised but getting a hot list was considered more successful than making a one-time sale. Obviously both are important, but we understood the value of referrals.
Online marketing is no different. When people made referrals, we had some type of incentive to offer them for doing it. This should be part of your strategy also.
Put together some type of offer for your existing customers to get them to give you referrals. Make is something quality, not just something that looks like it was slapped together and is more insulting than motivating. This will be your most important marketing tool you have, treat it like it.
Also provide your customers with tools needed to make it easy. When you ask them for the referrals tell them how to do it or prefer it to be done. If they forward the email, give them any descriptions of any help they may need. Leave nothing to chance.
Just remember that our databases are mines waiting to be tapped. Do this right and your business will grow steadily and consistently.
Resources to check out:
The Arling Microsoft Module Web Business Connect Data Mining Travel Marketing Decisions
I've been in database marketing for twenty years, and I agree, those databases are just waiting to be mined! Good comments.
Posted by: Kevin H | July 11, 2006 9:14 PM | Permalink to Comment