Building A Referral System For Your Cleaning Business
Cleaning business owners love referrals because it's a quick and easy sell. That's because the prospect is already predisposed to do business with you. In other words, they came to you on the recommendation of someone they know, like and trust. But the problem is, most referrals happen by chance so you can't rely on building your business by word of mouth alone.
If you want to get a steady stream of referrals, then you need to build a large network of people that know you and who your target market is. The only way to do that is to get out from behind your desk and put yourself in front of a lot of people. And it's not just a numbers game either (ie: passing out as many business cards as you can). Once you get out in the community, you need to build warm relationships with these people.
The next step is to create a system to manage the relationships you are building. The reason for creating a system is to save time and energy. Without a system, chances are you'll simply gather business cards, stick them in a drawer, and never look at them again. But if you create a good referral system, you'll start seeing consistent, predictable results.
In order to start your system, you need to understand the 3 types of referrals.
- Reward Referrals. This type of referral generally happens just after the sale. For example, after cleaning a home, you give the customer a referral flyer. “Would you like to receive 10% off your next cleaning? For every referral you give us, we'll take 10% off your next bill.” The main problem with Reward Referrals is that they are typically short term. The client is motivated in this moment to give a referral, but usually don't give ongoing referrals.
- Joint Venture Referrals. Find complimentary businesses that don't offer the same service you do, but have the same customers. For residential cleaners, you might consider plumbers or landscapers for example. Then form a referral group and create a booklet that you can use to promote each other's businesses. Be sure to promote your referral partners and also offer coupons to their customers. The problem with Joint Venture Referrals is that it is hard to find joint venture partners that buy into the idea and then do their part.
- Relationship Based Referrals. This type of referral system works well because you tend to receive higher quality referrals. As long as you provide a high quality, consistent service, you will receive more consistent referrals that eventually spread virally, especially with the power of social media sites like Facebook. In order for this to work as intended, you MUST have a system for staying in touch with your referral partners over time, and you must be willing to offer consistent referrals to your network. Remember, they won't care about your business unless you care about them first.
How do you create a system? It doesn't have to be anything complex and you don't have to put a lot of time into it. One idea is to use a service like Send Out Cards. You just set up your clients and networking buddies in the system to receive a pre-determined mailing campaign, where they receive several cards throughout the year. Mix it up by sending thank you cards, holiday cards, and referral cards
Another idea is to get them on your newsletter list. The newsletter should contain interesting articles and content that they look forward to receiving each month. Reserve a section for your referral reward program, reminding them of the cash rewards available to them. Also consider running a referral competition where the person that gives the most referrals next month gets a $100 bonus. Then post their photo in the newsletter to create excitement around the competition.
This takes very little work on your part, and not only works to gain more referrals, but to continue building the relationship you have with your network. For newsletters, we recommend you visit our download library for templates. Content is created for you, plus contains sections that you can personalize for your business.
Once you get your referral system in place, give it some time to start working. Before you know it more and more prospects will be calling, asking for your service based on a referral from a friend.
Visit our Store for Certification Training Programs
