If you’re relying only on referrals to bring customers to your business, we need to have a little chat. Because, WTF are you doing?
Are referrals bad for business?
No. I don’t hate referrals. They’re one of the easiest ways to win new customers, because the trust is already there, thanks to the person referring them (who is probably already a customer of yours).
So there’s nothing wrong with a good referral. The problem is relying only on referrals.
That’s like handing your car keys to a 16-year-old on their learner licence, then being frustrated when they crash it.
Why shouldn’t you rely on referrals alone?
Sales are the thing that keeps your business afloat. And your business is your baby, right?
So why would you hand control of your sales to anyone else, even your most incredible customers, friends, and family? Why wouldn’t you want to be in control, with referrals as the nice wee cherry on top?
What happens when referrals dry up?
You may be getting plenty of referrals right now. Good for you, as you should be. But are you really going to wait until they’ve dried up to build a new pipeline of leads?
Because they will dry up. I’m not saying that to scare you. It’s just the reality.
You have to diversify your lead sources to keep your sales safe.
It’s the same with any marketing. You can’t put all your eggs in one basket. You can’t market your business on one platform and expect everything to be fine and dandy forever.
Can digital marketing work as well as referrals?
Yes. If you market correctly, sales from digital marketing can be just as effortless as sales from referrals. The key is knowing what your target audience needs to know in order to buy from you.
The short version
- Referrals are great, but you don’t control them.
- They will dry up at some point, so build other lead sources before that happens.
- Don’t rely on one channel or one platform.
- Done right, digital marketing brings in sales just as easily as referrals do.
