Four Myths About Getting Referrals for Your Business

It's not new news that using word of mouth referrals to get more business is a great way to grow your business. Don't you ask someone when you're looking for a new something? Sure, we all do. We rely on our friends and colleagues to help us out in these type of situations so we can make the very best choice.

But there are a few myths about getting referrals. I was recently contacted by Yodle.com, an online local advertiser who wanted to despel the following myths about getting referrals for your business. Here's what they had to say.

1. Great customer service alone will make your clients refer people to you. Unfortunately, most people expect great customer service these days (and you always provide great service) so they are not necessarily inclined to mention good service to others. In actuality, people are more likely to mention bad service to their friends than any good service they’ve had.
2. People who are close to you are great people to refer business to you. You would assume that this would be the case, and it certainly can be, but you must always educate those close to you on how to look for referral opportunities so that they refer the type of customers you want.
3. You should always ask for the referral at the end of a transaction with your client. You should constantly be asking for referrals! There is no set time to ask for a referral. You should ask any time the opportunity presents itself.
4. Looking for referrals in an indirect manner reduces stress and is normally the best way to get referrals. Though this may work every once in a while, typically, if you don’t ask for it, you won’t get.

So there you go! I agree with them. As you know I'm an advocate for using a referral system to grow your business. Here are some tips Yodle.com suggests you follow to get referrals successfully.

Do you have a small business issue or question? Send it directly to me by using the contact link above. And don't forget to follow me on twitter @deniseoberry