Stephanie Chandler, at Seize Your Entrepreneurial Dreams, has a terrific idea to encourage word or mouth referrals:
Recently one of my bookstore customers mentioned that she originally learned about my store from her hair dresser. That got me thinking about my own hair dresser and how she’s a great source for finding out about restaurants and shopping destinations. Without even realizing it, she is a word of mouth marketing machine.
It seems to me that there is an opportunity here. Perhaps we should spend some time marketing to hair salons–or at least courting the people who work in them. You can’t beat a word of mouth recommendation and the fact is that we can help that process along by being proactive. I don’t know about you, but my wheels are turning. I think I may send some coupons to the salons in a 10 mile radius of the bookstore and see what happens. It couldn’t hurt!
Would this help in tiny towns, where everyone knows everyone? Sure! Sometimes people need to be reminded, and they certainly want to be thanked and appreciated. So invest some time and maybe some incentives in your potential word of mouth referrers. give them a little something for their trouble, while you’re at it.
Depending on your particular business, your targets could include the people at:
- convenience stores
- motels
- banks
- liquor stores (we give more directions than MapQuest!)
- barbers
- newspaper offices
- city offices
- drug stores
- fast food places
I’m sure you can add half a dozen specific businesses in your town that could be or are referring customers to you. Make it easier for them, and make sure they know you appreciate them.
I think this is the key: focus on the people as individuals. A mass mailing will not work as well as dropping in, talking a few minutes and leaving a few coupons. Invest in the relationship.
small biz rural entrepreneurship word of mouth marketing referrals
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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
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Great idea to grow word of mouth. I have a small computer repair business that has a b2b focus. I find I get a lot of referrals bookkeepers and accountants. They are trusted advisors for a lot of businesses so if you can convince them to refer you that gives you a wide audience.
Bill, that is exactly the right kind of thinking! Every business has someone that could be a referrer, so take time to think about it, and invest in those relationships!
Thanks for taking time to contribute, Bill!