You already know that lead generation has a lot of moving parts and techniques, and it never happens all on its own. It is something that demands constant input, assessment and effort. It is found in many “flavors,” too, and one of the most relevant is known as referral marketing. Word of mouth marketing is almost always the best because the referral from a customer to a potential customer is often the most trusted form of promotion.

Are referrals a part of your lead generation system? Whether or not you are using referral marketing, it can always pay off to reconsider the best ways to approach it.

More Than Lead Generation

Although the goal of referral marketing is to generate interest and make sales, it is also about telling your story. Every well-branded product or service comes with a story, and all of your market research helps you to identify the people who want to hear that story. Yet, even with the many channels through which you can accomplish lead generation, no one can hit them all. That is why referrals are such a great asset – they come from someone who fit your customer profile, accepted your offer (story) and approves of your product. They then share this information with other potential clients.

The key here is “how” do they share your story and spread the news that you have something great to offer? In the modern world, word of mouth still happens the old fashioned way (i.e. “Hey, Larry, you said you were looking for a good seafood place. Well, me and my family went to an amazing one…”). However, it is also a huge part of social media.

Referral Marketing Through Social Media

If you get right down to the most basic definition of referrals, it is word of mouth, so it makes perfect sense that you emphasize social media in your referral program. Naturally, that means your program has to be social media-friendly, and that means revisiting some of your initial marketing research.

Why? You need to be on the appropriate channels. We can tell you that referrals are ideal and that social media is the easiest place to bring them in, but we’d be off the mark if we didn’t emphasize that you must be on the appropriate channels. Facebook and Twitter are the most obvious, but where are your customers most likely to “hang out” online? Maybe they are more visual? That might mean Instagram or Pinterest.

So, take the time to reconsider your best platforms. Then, look at your existing profiles and ensure that they convey the story and trustworthiness you need. Have negative comments or spammy links in the comments? Unfollow those who bring down the tone. Clean it all up and only then should you begin your referral program.

After that,  lead generation comes down to keeping the profile (links, images, posts, and so on) up to date, being super active and responsive, considering the use of ads, and designing an offer that makes a referral easy and pressure-free.

No one ever said that referral marketing is easy or simple, and as you can see, it takes a lot to simply get the ball rolling, build momentum and maintain it. Do you have the time for this? If you are like other businesses, probably not. That is why you will want to contact the team at Organically and get their help with all of your website and marketing needs…including referrals.