[qginsburg]

Who
Wants to share best practices ? do any of you have a written referral
system that works ? ie you have cleaned Mrs spic and spans carpet
and you go after names and numbers to call ?

[peter maybury]

I think long term you cannot adopt too hard a sell criteria. If you are honest likable and doing a good job then people will have no hesitancy in recommending you to their friends and family, but it is quite easy to frighten people out of being comfortable about doing that.

Peter

[qginsburg]

Thanks Peter good point , I spent a number of years in the states and the
sales environment in the UK is defo a bit lower key !

[Ian Gourlay]

Ive never been comfortable in asking for Five Names that we can phone, take a bottle of spotter round to etc.

I know some guys have left bottles of spotters with neighbours after doing a job but strange I have never read of anyone saying this works for me and its how I get most of my business at an economical cost.

But it is probably the best system going because nobody mentions it

It Secret Marketing Method Number One Go for it

Then there is the £20 Marks and Spencer Voucher for all Recommendations that become customers,

[peter maybury]

I do not think that incentives make any difference people have to really trust you to let you into their family and personal circles. I personally am very choosy as to who I introduce to people and do not like to just give out personal information about people that I know. So much of my business is built on good will and I would not like to do anything that would contradict that. I think any sound minded person is the same. If I think that an introduction would benefit the parties concerned then fine ok, but it is certainly not something than any financial gain would encourage.

Peter

[COLIN BRIGHT]

if you do a good job, and leave some business cards as leaving and say pass them onto your friend for WHEN they want their carpets cleaning, rather than . eerr if you know of anyone who might, maybe or perhaps would consider having their carpets cleaned,  then you will get more referrals ,BE POSITIVE, always works for me if you dont ask then you dont get, so just ask and youll be surprised

[G O Cleaning]

We use a referral card for one of our services and it works well, the card is simply passed on by our customer to their family member or friend, we do not solicit numbers. Once the customer has seen how we operate and the quality of the clean achieved, the trust is gained. I see it as a simple thank you to the customer, for some it may act as an extra incentive, cost to us is relatively small, compared to the new customer gained.