How Can I Use Customer Referrals to Market My Business?

In online marketing, as in traditional marketing, customer referrals are the goal. Your business will succeed to the degree that your customers refer you to other customers.

Attracting new customers to your business is expensive and time-consuming. If you let your customers do the marketing for you, you can concentrate your time and money on one of the countless other projects on your to-do list.

The Internet allows you to promote your business to customers while at the same time making it easy for them to recommend your business to their friends, family, and colleagues. Here are a few time-tested solutions.

• E-mail newsletters. Including useful content and valuable incentives in your e-mail newsletters will encourage customers to forward your newsletter to potential customers.
• Promotions. Two-for-one deals or friends-and-family discounts can encourage current customers to bring new clients to your business.
• Unique Web site features. If you're promoting your services as a nutritionist, for instance, include a calorie calculator on your site. Customers who find the calculator useful can easily forward a link to friends and promote this feature.
• "E-mail a friend" feature. This makes it easy for site visitors to e-mail content or information to other interested people. The fewer hurdles you provide to customers, the more success you'll enjoy.