Word-of-mouth is the primary factor behind 20-50% of all purchasing decisions. To leverage this influential form of marketing, referral marketing programs are used.
However, there is no point in having a referral program if nobody can find it. To make your program successful, it needs to be promoted on every channel and platform that your leads and customers value. It is also beneficial to train your team — from sales to customer service reps — to promote your program at different touchpoints throughout the customer journey.
Where should I spread the word?
First, your team needs to be onboarded. You need to share your marketing referral program across channels (online, POS, and telesales) and train your team — from sales to customer service reps — to promote your program at different touchpoints throughout the customer journey.
Second, clarity and visibility are key. Make your referral program or link clearly visible across your copy and content. Moreover, clearly communicate the rewards and process. In addition, set the right expectations from the beginning: the copy detailing your program should be clear. Let customers know exactly how the process works, what the time frame is, and what the reward includes. If the conditions you set are not visible, you will risk not only losing them as customers but also getting negative reviews online and spreading negative WOM.
Don’t make customers search for answers to these questions elsewhere, provide them with all the information they need and make it easy to move forward.
The top channels we recommend
As for channels, we recommend focusing on:
Website — Ensure information in your referral program is clearly visible on your website. Don’t hide it away in the footer of your website. Well-designed pop-ups can also raise more awareness of your programs. If you have a customer portal that you use for payments,add your referral link there, as well to boost visibility.
Your customers’ accounts — If you have a customer portal that you use for payments, add your referral link there to boost visibility.
Social media — Announce your referral program on your social media channels and regularly post about it to keep your customers in the loop.
Emails — Effective referral emails include an appealing subject line and one strong, clear CTA. Drive more conversions by turning your CTA into a CTV (call to value). CTVs highlight the benefit your subscriber will get from clicking through— e.g. “Get my free swag” will drive more conversions than a more basic CTA like “Join now.”
Newsletters –Spread the word about your referral programs through your newsletter. Give existing subscribers a unique link to invite their friends. Reward them by giving them free entry to online events, access to exclusive content, discounts for merchandise, cash rewards, or whatever else they value the most.
Surveys/NPS — use the information you get from these surveys and send your promoters a referral link. These people are very likely to refer your company to others.
What comes next?
Spreading the word about your referral marketing programs – both internally and externally – will make all the difference in their success. After establishing the channels through which you’ll make your programs known, you’ll need to ensure that your referral links are easy to share. In the next blog post, we describe the best practices for creating and using referral links. Stay tuned!
Want to find out how Aklamio can help make your referral program a success? Reach out to us here.
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