Most small businesses rely on word of mouth but leave it to chance. A few simple habits turn happy customers into a steady source of new work.
Make referrals easy
- Ask at the right time: when the customer says thanks or compliments the job.
- Give them something to pass on: two business cards, or a link they can text a friend.
- Be specific: "If your neighbours need their gutters done, I'm in the street again next month."
A simple referral program
- Offer a thank-you to the referrer when the referred job goes ahead: a discount on their next job, a gift card or a donation to a local club.
- Keep it simple and track it in a spreadsheet.
- Tell people about it on your invoice and website.
Keep it separate from reviews
Rewarding referrals is fine. Rewarding Google reviews isn't: Google's policies prohibit incentives for reviews. Keep the two separate.
Business-to-business referrals
Agree to refer work with complementary trades and local businesses. A plumber and a tiler, or a builder and a landscaper, can keep each other busy.
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