Looking for types of referral systems or types of referral systems you can implement in 2022? While you can’t always have control when one buddy asks his friend for a referral, you can affect how frequently your referral or affiliated sources think about referring your business.

Referrals are critical for business success.

It would help if you strived to create several referral networks that allow your consumers and clients to suggest you. Here are some tactics you can implement in your business to increase recommendations.

Implied referrals

This form of referral is significantly underutilized. In a referral program, you want to do things that make it clear you’re doing work for someone without explicitly asking for a reference. This opens the door to a friend or neighbor simply asking you to refer the person who is running an implied referral scheme.

Example:

A building contractor may send a series of letters to neighbors near a construction site, advising them to call if there are any problems.

They are creating a project progress book with photographs from each step of the construction so that the homeowners may use it as a tool to show visitors when they visit after the home has been completed.

Direct recommendations

A direct referral program is one in which you simply make an offer to your existing clients for the act of generating a referral that turns into a client.

Example:

Refer a neighbor to our building service, and we’ll offer you the use of a carpenter or a handyman for a day to fix those pesky house projects.

This motivational technique is also relevant to the business’s operations.

Real-world references

With a physician referral, you place something of real value in the hands of your consumer that they may present to a referral source. I appreciate this strategy because you can repeat it three or four times a year as a low-cost, low-exposure way to keep referrals at the forefront of your mind.

Examples:

Once a few months or so, you send out a $100 gift ticket to your most significant customers and urge them to share the gift with a friend. It simplifies and concretizes the act of referring, and you can always reward your client when those gift cards turn into customers.

Referral strategies such as “bring a friend for free” or “give a friend a free product” can also be helpful.

Referrals from the community

Numerous community organizations require and deserve your assistance. When you work with a non-profit and help them with their mission, events, and needs, you can also help them get noticed by running a promotion that allows your partner.

Examples:

10% of the proceeds will support our community partner when you buy or sign a contract this week.

Your partner benefits from any sales that occur, and they are undoubtedly compelled to talk about and suggest your organization to their constituents.

Conclusion

Using these four factors provides a multi-pronged strategy for your referrals to drive traffic. It is critical to developing strategies around these channels. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of actionable steps.

Last Updated on January 17, 2024

Author

Elizabeth is a Senior Content Manager at Scaleo. Currently enjoying the life in Prague and sharing professional affiliate marketing tips. She's been in the online marketing business since 2006 and gladly shares all her insights and ideas on this blog.