Getting Referrals For Your Accountancy Services
Posted by Marketing Man in Marketing for Accountants,Offline Marketing | September 17, 2012
When it comes to maximising the marketing potential of your accountancy firm getting referrals from past customers is a huge part of a successful campaign. Referrals are inexpensive to get and are much easier to sell to as they come to you recommended by a trusted source. It sounds perfect, but obtaining referrals can actually be a difficult process for many accountancy firms.
If you are struggling to bring in the referrals for your own accountancy firm here a few ways you can improve your referral generation process:
Do Not Be Afraid To Ask For Referrals
The biggest mistake most accountants make when it comes to getting referrals is not asking for them in the first place. You should not be afraid to ask past customers for any referrals they may have, if you have done a good job for them they should have no problem in recommending you. Once you have delivered your service to your client and you have made sure they are happy with the work you have provided ask them if they know anyone they can refer you to. Most companies or individuals, no matter how happy they are with what you provided them, have too much going on to refer friends and associates to your business unless they are specifically asked to do so.
Furthermore, do not be afraid to ask your clients for referrals more than once. It may be that the first time you ask they genuinely could not think of anyone to recommend you to, but if you ask again in a few months time they may have met somebody or got talking to somebody who would benefit from your services. If you are polite and not pushy about it your customers will not mind being reminded.
Be Specific In The Type Of Referrals You Want
Being too vague and passive in asking for referrals is a recipe for disaster, saying something like “Don’t forget to tell your friends” or “Let me know if you come across anyone who might benefit from our services” will almost always end up with no referrals.
Be specific in what you want, after all if you don’t know what you’re looking for how can you expect somebody else to? Rephrase your referral request to something along the lines of “If you know any business owners who are looking for a new accountant or have recently set up a new business, I’d love to offer them our accountancy services. Please send their names to me so I can help them out.” This is a lot more direct and to the point, it is likely to get your customer actually thinking about who they know that fits that description rather than just consigning your request to their memory banks. Beating around the bush is almost never a good tactic when it comes to sales.
Offer Clients Incentives To Refer You
Coming up with an actual reason for your clients to spread your name around is a fantastic way to get the referrals flooding in. Offering money for referrals is a grey area, and it is your decision as the business owner whether you want your referral incentive to be monetary or not. However, there are other things you can offer to clients for referrals, like a free add-on service or a discounted monthly fee.
If you set up an incentive program for your customers that offer genuine rewards you are far more likely to get referrals because they can see a tangible benefit from doing so.
Utilise The Referral In Your First Contact
To introduce yourself you can pick up the phone and call the prospect, however a personal introductory email or note can be much more effective. Try to seek permission to use the name of the client you received the referral from, as this will add a lot of weight to your introduction. Explain why your client thought you would be a good match and give details of the type of service you can offer.
Go the extra mile and find out as much as you can about the referral so that instead of approaching the situation with a “this is what we do” attitude you can take a “here’s how we can help” approach.
Most accountants would agree that referrals are an excellent tool to add to your overall marketing plan. With a little effort and a little planning, you can set up a fantastic referral system to generate pre-qualified sales leads for your business.
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About the Author – Marketing Man
Marketing Man is a superhero marketer hell bent on a personal crusade to improve the websites and marketing of UK accountancy firms. Check him out on Google+
