Referral marketing is the same as helping your business to grow, all by itself. But referrals don't just happen. This presentation explores ways to be better with your referral processes. Presented to Sage Australia/New Zealand at the Partner Insights Summit.

1. Helping Your Business
Market Itself
Dan Kraus, President

3. Leading Results Overview
• Instructors for the Sage Marketing Academy
• Marketing services firm – coaching and consulting
» 1:1 Coaching, Group Coaching
» Fractional VP of Marketing
» Social Media Coaching and Learning
» Referral Marketing Coaching and Classes
• Authorized Duct Tape Marketing coaches (4)
• Clients World-Wide
• We help our clients stop wasting money on
marketing that does not create results

4. Leading Results - Core Marketing Mantra
• Don't talk about the products you sell; talk
about the problems you solve.
• Then talk about the remarkably different way
that I will experience working with you as you
solve those problems.
• Be sure you tell me what I get; NOT what
you do. Because I don't have time to figure
out if what I need is what you do.

5. Definition of Marketing
Know Like Trust TRY Buy Repeat Refer

6. The
realities
of referral

7. People make
referrals because
they need to

8. All business
involves risk

9. Consistency
builds trust

10. Nobody talks
about boring
businesses

11. The
Marke)ng
Hourglasssm
Know
• Who and how
• Ads
• Referrals
Like
• Web site/blog
• Reception
• Newsletter
Trust
• Search
• Expert content
• Sales presentation
Try
• Webinar
• Evaluation
• Nurturing
Buy
• Service team
• New customer kit
• Finance/delivery
Repeat
• Post project survey
• Cross selling
• Quarterly events
Refer
• Results reviews
• Partner intros
• Peer2peer events
©
Duct
Tape
Marke.ng
–
all
rights
reserved

12. The
Marke)ng
Hourglasssm
Know
Like
Trust
Try
Buy • Customers
Repeat • Repeat Customers
Refer • Evangelists
©
Duct
Tape
Marke.ng
–
all
rights
reserved

13. Authentic strategy
• Ideal customer
• Identifiable difference
• Supporting elements
• Culture Alignment
• Expectation
• Customer Community

14. Why are referrals so rare?
• Referrer’s need a frame
of reference, a position,
to think of referral within.
• They need to know what
you’ll do.
• They need to know, like
and trust you.

15. What is Referral Marketing?
Systematic process that takes word of mouth
advertising to its highest level
• New clients
• Qualified leads
• Repeat business

16. Passive vs. Active Referrals
Passive
• No system or process
Active – organized system
• Works in any industry
• Works for any business

17. Target referral sources
• Customers
• Strategic partners
» Anyone who serves your target market
» Doesn’t compete with you

18. Leverage Customer Community
• Promoters • Offers
– ID your champions – Customer only
and evangelists and offerings
foster them
– Portal
• Education • Tools
– User Groups (virtual)
– Pass along offers
– Newsletters
– Perfect Introduction
– Knowledge Flashes

19. Customer Referrals
• Set Expectations
• Educate on your process and perfect referral
• Choose moments of truth to act
• Follow up
• Reward

20. Set Expectations
• Introduced in the sales process
• Reinforced in contract negotiation
• Stated again during consulting engagement
• Introduction of your perfect prospect to entire
client site
• Reinforced again at user groups
• You will also refer to them (Blank perfect
introduction for your client)

21. Educate on your process
• How you can spot our ideal client
» List of trigger statements
• How to present our core message
• Our follow up process
• Testimonials – It’s not just you…

24. Moments of truth (touchpoints)
• After the first meeting…
• After contract signature
• After critical milestones are successful
• Quarterly communication
• Executive Visits
Write down and rehearse the words

25. Follow Up & Reward
• Follow up is critical
– Make sure they know what the
status is of the referral they gave
• Return the favor
– Get them to complete the perfect
profile in return
• Rewards
– Personal, business or community
– Small token just for thinking of us

26. Strategic Partner Referral System
• Target
• Educate
• Offer and then Execute
• Follow-up Consistently

27. Target Specific Industry partners
• Who else could be motivated to refer business to
you?
» Obvious Ones: Technology providers, Accountants,
Venture Capital/Investors
» Less so: Lawyers, Telephony, Copier, Bankers,
Management Consultants, Marketing Consultants
• Think next in line, think outside your industry
» Real Estate Agents, Chamber Leaders, Business
Brokers
• Ask YOUR customers

28. Research before Approach
• LinkedIN
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Other Social Media Sites
• Their web site
…It is a sales call!

29. Educate – Use the perfect intro
• How you can spot our ideal client
• How to present our core message
• Our referral offer
• Our marketing process
Get agreement to a lunch & learn and
reciprocate

30. Strategic partnering
• Guest Blog
• Newsletter or web content
• Endorsed mailings
• Leverage of lists for marketing programs
• Win win workshop
• BNI
• For business (soft) or for revenue (formal)

31. Give them an offer to make for you
• Gift Certificate Giveaways
» Free “area” assessment
» Tune up
• Special price for their customers
• Co-branded information or product/service

32. Create a group of referral partners
• Create a referral group of complimentary
services
» Each service markets for the group to their
clients
• Share Nurture or Customer Lists
• Provide co-located training classes or joint
seminars

33. The value of a group
Partner
Partner Partner
YOU
Partner Partner

34. We help small businesses stop wasting money on marketing

35. A referral may not be a lead, but may
have tremendous value
- An introduction
- A new partner
- A new vendor

36. Referral Summary
• Ideal Customers refer good prospects
• Referrals don’t just happen
• Create your customer community
• Set Expectations
• Plan (manufacture) M-O-T
• Follow up and Over-communicate

37. Offer #1
Complete the evaluation, get the slides and a copy of the
perfect introduction

38. Offer #2
• Marketing Hour Glass Audit
– You complete our questionnaire
– We spend an hour or so with you
to review your marketing against
the Marketing Hour Glass
Check the box for the free 45 minute
business evaluation

39. We help small businesses stop wasting money on marketing
Thank You
Please take a moment to
complete presentation evaluation
Contact Us
Web: www.leadingresults.com
Email: info@LeadingResults.com
Phone: +1-704-875-1188
Skype: LeadingResults
Twitter: @LeadingResults ; @LauraBLorenz
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