New customer + right product + trusted recommendation = sale

Today with millions of brand conversations happening every day, I would estimate 8 out of every 10 purchases have been influenced by a trusted recommendation, whether from family, friends or a respected person.

Are you helping your brand advocates refer you business? Here are 5 tips on becoming their best friend; 

 1. Know your customers

Somewhat of a recurring theme of mine but once you have an acute understanding of your customers you can offer relevant advice that solves their problems

 2.    Legal, decent, honest & truthful

The Advertising Standards Authority mantra is a good one to chant at every customer touch point.

Those brands that consistently deliver customers expectations & as such are seen as reliable, will gain trust. In hard economic times, trust will support your business through recommendations.

 3.    Predict what your customers need

The vast majority of customer decision-making is subconscious. If you have & continue to work on that deep knowledge of your customer’s personalities, motives & needs you will soon be able to offer solutions before your customers really know they needed them!

 4.    Listen & ask questions

Find out what your customers thought of your service. Respond to queries & answer problems quickly with the Advertising Standards Authorities mantra in your ears.

Happy customers are advocates who will come back & bring their friends with them!

 5.    Core customers are king

This was a theme from an earlier post but I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to keep this group well informed. Reward their loyalty, remembering to be consistent & you should in turn be rewarded with positive comments & referrals. 

Every time you are about to ‘market’ your business, be that at a networking event, an email, a Tweet, a sales pitch, a post or call, remember to act like the friend you would want to have. Your advocates will buy your services AND help to sell your business for you just because you understood & treated them well.