Recommendations are important for small businesses to succeed.
We are encouraged to seek out satisfied customers or business partners to provide recommendations, testimonials or referrals to help our business.
When someone asks us to recommend a product or service we are usually very helpful but how often do we actively recommend a businesses’ product or service that we actually use?
I thought about this the other day when a customer rang and asked if I knew of or could recommend a database product. I recommended the product we use but I also told him about other products. Later that day I thought why didn’t I just recommend the one that we use.
I believe there is an opportunity to be proactive as a customer of another business to help them increase their revenue without asking for anything in return.
Could our own customers experience the same value, service etc that we experience by purchasing that product or service? The answer on many occasions is yes.
If you know your customers well and this is done in the right spirit of proactively helping others, I can’t think of too many reasons not to give a go. If you have any tips in this area that you would like to share or if you have actively recommended a product or service that you use, let us know.
Marketing Tip to Help Other Small Businesses Grow…
We know recommendations and referrals are important. How often do you proactively promote the products or services that you actively use to other businesses?…
Hello Susan,
I didn’t see an update on your website earlier, so I didn’t think your were posting today. What a pleasant surprise to see a new one!
You are 100% correct about recommendations and referrals. It is a great way to tell others about great products and services. And doing so always seems to come back in a good way. I have people that are looking for a graphic artist. I send them to my graphic artist friend who did a great job for me. Now when he has clients who needs a writer he sends them to me. It’s about good will, networking and mutuality!
Once however, I recommended someone who was a friend without really knowing her capabilities. She did a lousy job for a cleint of mine. It made me look very badly informed
Great post!!!
Yoni
Hi Yoni,
You made a good point that you need to know the capabilitities of those you recommend even of they are a friend.
I have made it a point when I talk to people to see how I can promote businesses I am a customer of especially those that are not active in promoting their business.
Thanks for your comment Yoni.
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Hi Susan,
I give WoM referrals all the time. I figure if I can’t help someone, I might as well give another reputable business a hand. It’s all part of establishing my own authority, as well. I’m interested in helping my customers solve their problems. That doesn’t mean everything has to have an invoice attached for me to add value. Nice post.
Hi Sarah,
I agree and the businesses I give referrals to are often the ones that do not actively promote or seek referrals like my It guy.