3 Steps to Creating Raving Fans Who Help You Get Clients

Wouldn’t it be great to have someone else do all the selling for you? What if you could have lots of people out there promoting your business and not have to manage them or pay their benefits?

You can, and here’s how.

Part 1: Listen to the words your clients use when describing you during your interactions together.

You may hear:

• “Whew, I am so glad to talk to you. Things have been out of control, and you make my job so much easier.”
• “It seems like you are in my head. Before I can ask you to help with something, you bring it up and handle it.”
• “My sales are up because of your product.”

These are strong clues to the benefits you bring. Write them down using the words they use.

Clients purchase your products, time, or expertise to solve a problem or create an experience they want or need. You will take the words they say in their testimonies and conversations and use them in your marketing materials. It might be on your website, Facebook page, flyer or newsletters. If you use their own language, you will be attracting more people who have the same problem to solve or experience to fulfill.

Part 2: Get client testimonies.

Testimonies are an important part of your prospects sales decision. Use them generously. Include a picture whenever possible, and use their full name, company name, and include a link to their website. This gives the impression that this is a real person. Sure, there are instances when you should just use initials and a city and state, and maybe no picture, but if you CAN include these, please do!

Find the right time during your sales cycle to get feedback from your clients. It might be when they have experienced your product or sometime during your work together. Make this a formal system – perhaps a questionnaire, email, or phone call to them. What you want to find out is how they were benefitted by your product or service. Collect testimonials from everyone.

(Keep in mind, though, that the FTC has guidelines on using testimonies.)

Part 3: Create a referral program.

As part of your client system, you will want to include things that make their experience truly unforgettable. Send a hand-written thank-you note when they purchase. (Or a nice email at the very least.) Maybe you send holiday and birthday cards each year, and refer business to them whenever possible. Having a client only sale or a yearly party for your customers would create a good feeling. You want them to see how doing business with you has advantages.

Ask for referrals. Again, as part of your client system you might want to send a friendly letter, have a direct phone call, or even meet face to face over coffee. Tell them who your target client is specifically and what program, product or service you are offering. Make sure they understand how to connect you with a referral. And if there is some incentive to either or both of them for the referral, explain that. Most satisfied clients are more than happy to refer good business to you.

Conclusion. 

Having someone else build your business for you doesn’t have to be hard, costly, or time-consuming. To get started, think about satisfied clients from the past; rekindle the relationship with a phone call or email and see if they would like to help you with a testimonial. The link to their website might be incentive enough! In just a matter of a couple of weeks, you can have these programs in place, working for you.