Ep 38: End Marketing Overwhelm | Part 6: Advocate

We've done it!  We have reached the last episode in this 6-part series about the Client Value Journey. Today we are talking about how to get referrals and social proof from your existing clients.  This is such an important step and one that should not be skipped.

How to Create Raving Fans

As you know from the previous episode (#37), delighting customers is the key to creating a sustainable business. What you sell and how you make your customers feel when they use your product or service will determine the success of your business. Everything you build is for your customers and we want to make sure they are happy.

That said, once we've delivered that amazing experience, it's time to put our customers to work for us.  Help encourage past clients to spread the love by sharing reviews and referring friends to your business. 

 

5 Tips for Getting Referrals from your Customers

1. Ask at the right moment for reviews: Timing is everything. Ask immediately after delivery when the excitement is fresh in their mind.
2. Give them an out: Are clients shy to give a testimonial or review online? Maybe they'd be interested in participating in a case study or simply filling out a survey. Any insights you can glean from past clients is valuable marketing intel.
3. Offer Reward Program: The give and get model is really effective. You can offer an incentive for referring your brand to friends through discounts for both parties.
4. Partner up with complimentary brands: Can offer even more value through your partner network? Since clients just bought your thing, maybe they'd be interested in leaving you a review if you offered them a reward with from complimentary partner brand. Think outside the box. You can turn this into a whole joint campaign. That would make for both an advocate and aware strategy!
5. Change the conversation: Bring customers behind-the-scenes. Make them feel like insiders and that their opinion matters.  You can use them as market research for new products or services-- and by extension, create excitement for them to share through their own communities. 

Close the Flywheel 

Although the Client Value Journey may feel like a funnel, it's more like a flywheel.  You want to constantly be reaching new audience via word-of-mouth. The reason word-of-mouth audience is so valuable is because these are warmed prospects. It take much less work to convert warm leads into sales than cold ones. How will you make sure your flywheel is closed?

 

Look at the Data

In concluding this series, it want to leave with an important message about metrics. The brilliance of using a marketing system like the Client Value Journey comes from the ability to track and measure its performance. As you create your customer journey, be conscious of setting Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each stage. This way, you'll be able to assess the health of your marketing funnel and diagnose exactly what tactic needs to be improved.

 

Need help creating your Client Value Journey? I create and manage sales-focused marketing strategies. Let's schedule your free 30 min strategy session where I'll share tangible, tactical advice on how you can create or improve your marketing plan. Book Now.