What is the best way to get more referral business? It’s… it’s writing a thank you letter.
Yes, I know, it’s weird, but it’s the best technique you can use to get more referrals. Yes, better than a sales letter!
This is how it works: First, you get a reference. I know, I’m as surprised as you are, but sometimes it happens: someone liked you… and at some point they said some nice words about you to a new client or prospect.
Here’s what you can do to encourage them to refer you again and again: Send them a “Thank you for your referral!” letter. Here’s what happens: First, your “Thank you!” letter elevates you from the silent majority, who never bothered to express their appreciation for being referred. Well, that got him noticed and put him well above the 99.9% of other people who received a referral from someone and never said thank you, let alone wrote a letter. Now here’s how to get even more business.
Face it: A phone call just doesn’t have the impact of a thank you letter. Whatever you said on the phone, that fades over the horizon with the setting sun. But not a letter. A letter has time to sit on the recipient’s desk as a lasting reminder of your appreciation. A phone call simply doesn’t compare to the visual goodwill generated by a thank you letter.
the most valuable card
So the most valuable letter you can write is to thank someone for their referral. “Thank you for your kind referral. I appreciate the privilege of being of service to your colleague. I do not take referrals lightly and I assure you that I will provide you with good value…” Continuing, “Thank you very much for your referral and your trust” .
A reference is the highest demonstration of trust that a client or friend can show. It’s the leap of faith that you’ll perform exceptionally well for someone else, even when you’re completely out of sight. The person who recommends you puts her own name and reputation on the line for you. Do you deserve a thank you letter? Bet! But wait, there’s more.
Why is your “thank you” letter so effective? First, it makes the person comfortable with their recommendation of you, because they now know that you are going to do the best job possible for your new client. You’re going to lean back to look good and make them look good for giving you their reference. You can’t make them feel this way with an ad, brochure, or phone call, but it’s easy to do with a well-placed and well-timed letter.
With a personal letter, it’s easy to convince someone who has referred you that you truly appreciate the trust they have placed in your products or services. You can make them feel, well, that they should refer you to more people, all the time. And therein lies the beauty, value, and monetary value of the most valuable letter you can write: “Thank you for your referral!” letter. The recipient will remember this and when the opportunity comes around again, they will continue to refer more people.
Have you heard of word of mouth as the best (and cheapest) form of advertising? Well this is better. It’s how you make more referrals happen, over and over again.
So now this “Thank you for your referral” letter has become the least expensive AND most effective advertisement you can write, bar none. Less expensive? And more effective? Hmm…
Have you noticed how coincidentally the “Thank you for your kind reference” letter has now become the most effective piece of advertising you can write? It’s no longer in the “I’ll just send this thank you letter” category. It becomes an art form, your personal announcement in the exact shape and style of a letter.
Send a gift of hard work
What does my office do for people who refer direct marketing consulting or copywriting clients to us? We sent them a Cross Pen and of course a wonderful letter saying thank you very much for your kind reference. And we have YOUR name engraved on the pen (the only person who wants a pen with my name on it is me!) Don’t worry, they’ll remember where they got it!
By the time we send them their new pen, and of course our own personal thank you letter, it costs us about $25. Is it worth it? Tell me: the prospect who received our referral trusts us because they received a personal recommendation from a friend. If we do any work for the new client, our writing and market consulting fees range from… well, we make our $25 back pretty quickly. Many clients stay with us for years.
We do not turn every prospect who refers us into actual rent-paying customers. Some don’t need our high-powered direct marketing sales letters or high-response direct marketing sales materials. Some are not yet ready to launch products; and some are just tire kickers or fishermen. No matter, we still send an engraved pen to the referral source with a nice thank you letter.
It’s funny, the more letters we send out, the more referrals we seem to get from the referral source. Which we really appreciate. If you want more business, write an exceptional “Thank you for your referral!” letter, and save it ready on your computer.
When you get a referral, send the letter. If you think it’s worth it, send an engraved Cross Pen with your thank you letter. If not, that’s fine, a letter itself will also thank people. You can’t buy that kind of publicity, that goodwill or trust, or that kind of referral, at any price. Or you can?
