One of the things that I’m most proud of when it comes to my business is that I’ve mostly built to where I am by word of mouth. I’ve never paid for advertising and most of my marketing on social media is less about what I do and more about me and my personal brand. One of the most common questions I get now is HOW I managed to do just that. So today, I thought I’d share a few quick things I’ve done over the years to build a business on word of mouth referrals.
Always love your people most.
While my clients may not all know each other (although most do!), I treat them like one big family and community. I love them hard each day that I work for them and I definitely treat their businesses like my own. When I say “love your people”, I just mean to give them your best work every time you show up. Under promise, over deliver. All of that mentality goes a long way. By being a responsive, caring, responsible, and reliable asset on their teams, they’ve wanted to do nothing but rave about me to their friends, audiences, and students. And because of their raving, my inquiries come pretty regularly.
Network hard, especially at first!
When I began my business, I started with two local clients and one who was further up the East Coast. While I’m not naturally an extrovert, I made an effort to network with them and their groups so that I could keep building connections. Not everything turned into client work, which is fine! But, the effort I made to show my face and be someone other people recognized paid off big time.
Create a referral system.
When I’ve felt I needed more work or more clients, I made a big deal out of asking my clients every chance I got. I encouraged them to send my name out, share my website with their friends asking, and in return, when someone who came to me through them booked, they got a small thank you gift for me. The idea of a referral system isn’t new. Decide on a small thank you – whether it’s a gift card, a service discount, or something else – as your way to say you appreciate them helping you build your business. It’s always been a great way to get more referrals. And now, I even have clients who ask when I’m going to take clients again so they can start sending my name out!
Building a business with little to no marketing hasn’t always been easy. But, at the end of the day, I’ve always believed my relationships with my clients have made my business what it is. I’m so grateful to all of them and I know that without them, I truly wouldn’t be where I am. Building a business by word of mouth really comes down to creating an incredible customer experience they just can’t help but rave about. Trust me, it makes a huge difference!
Want more help to build a business you love by word of mouth? Learn more about my 1:1 Coaching below!
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