Getting more customer referrals through your email marketing is a great way to increase business. But how do you ask for referrals without feeling uncomfortable or pushy? Try these easy ways to get more referrals from your opt-in email list without wrecking your relationship with your subscribers.
When was the last time you saw a movie without first reading a review or asking a friend how it good it was? Chances are that without a solid endorsement from a trusted source, you probably skipped shelling out for tickets to the theater. Witness the power of the referral. Getting your email subscribers to endorse you is the best marketing that money can’t buy.
The first step towards garnering reader referrals is to try to get your email opened and read. Standing out in the sea of emails people receive each day requires making the reader’s time investment worthwhile. To receive value — in referrals — you must first give something of value such as:
- Good advice or a new solution to an old problem.
- Inspiration, entertainment or day brightening humor.
- Exclusive and helpful resources readers may not have found without you.
Another surefire way to improve both the readability of your email marketing and increase referrals is aesthetics. Creating a clean, memorable and visually appealing email template for your information will never hurt your success. Good design aesthetics not only make your emails enjoyable to view but also show readers that you care about them. Quality design displays professionalism, which increases your stature in the reader’s mind. Becoming perceived as an authority figure to your readership is incredibly helpful towards being referred.
Even with deliciously informative content wrapped in a pleasing exterior, it would be foolish to simply expect readers to go out of their way refer you. “Ask and ye shall receive” (sometimes). In email marketing, your best bet to get audience participation is to ask for it. Get the proverbial snowball rolling by doing the following:
- Lead readers into the idea of sharing by asking nicely and thanking them beforehand.
- Make your content easily shareable through social media share buttons and “forward this email” options.
- A little extra incentive — exclusive content or something similar — can go a long way in motivating readers to action.
A referral is the ultimate icebreaker between your business and potential customers. Therein lies the real influence of email marketing towards boosting sales and growing your bottom line.
Like what you see? Need ACH payment services for your company? Contact us for a quote!
