The Howard Partridge
52 Weeks of Implementation
Lessons from Real Referral Marketing Stories
$30,000.00 rides on the outcome…
One of our longstanding referral sources that started cleaning carpet themselves some years ago still use us for a variety of different reasons. If they have a need for Oriental rug cleaning or something out of their other store that is located nearer to us than their “mother” store, they still refer us heartily.
They were installing a wood floor and spilled some stain on an Oriental Rug. They kept the rug from staining by applying some baby oil (there’s a tip for ya!!), and then brought the rug to us to remove the baby oil. The client was holding a $30,000.00 check until the rug was completed. The owner of the store called me and of course we put the rug on “red alert”.
It just so happened that I was lunching with an internet marketing expert (wait til I tell you about some of the stuff I am learning from this guy!!!) and it was close to their store. So I whipped into Krispy Kreme (don’t you love the Krispy Kreme Drive-Thru!) and picked up a half dozen glazed. I checked on the status of the rug by calling my office, and then went in with donuts. Look at the smile on this guy’s face!!!
The lesson here is that even though someone has their own cleaning service doesn’t mean they are not still a great referral source. We charged about $400.00 for cleaning that rug. Plus, when I went in the store, he insisted on me giving my brochures to all of his sales people to “use for something they don’t do”. Plus, they opened a second store out of their service area. That store is 3 miles from our shop!! Yippee!
This guy has also spoken at my Round Table in the past. The lesson here is that as you “help each other”, everyone wins.
Talk about great timing!!
After leaving his place, I stopped into another dealership that I have never been to before. I didn’t check the files to see if someone else from our office has been there or not, but I met several salespeople that did not know about us, and get this… the manager says “It’s funny that you should walk in…my mother just had you guys come out and give her a quote, but you guys were so high that she is thinking about using someone else.” Wow, what an opportunity! The lesson here is the “luck follows those who are diligent”.
More great timing
It is amazing to me that people think they don’t have enough time to do referral marketing. Friday morning I stopped in the grocery store and picked up a couple bags of bagels and some cream cheese. I walk into a big design firm that is close to our shop. We have been there many times. We get a few referrals, but we haven’t been able to get a presentation.
Before leaving I had a free cleaning and a presentation booked and a great interest by the owner. It was just a matter of being there at the right time. The lesson here is “keep going back over and over”. You never know who you will meet or what will happen. I was there a total of 15 minutes!!! The lesson: You have time! Use it!
Think outside the box this holiday season!
This is Jim Bardwell last year in a Santa suit. Jacob Liedke has been seen in an Elf suit! Doing something different and memorable makes a big impact! Notice the refrigerator magnets on the tins and the stickers on the packages. Nice touch!
Another FREE Lunch!!! The best $800.00 I could ever spend!
You won’t believe what I did this time. In past Inner Circle sessions, I have shared about the “Free Lunch” Program. This time, we only those who have referred us this year. We sent out an invitation that thanked them for the referrals in 2005 and invited them to a lunch in their honor. Of course it will be held a great restaurant. During the lunch I will share some of our more advanced programs so they can earn even more referrals. We also let them bring an associate. One of the owners of a large high end furniture store is bringing the owner of another huge furniture store! Talk about social proof!!
Next month I will share the invitation and give you the results of the event so that you can hold one yourself.