Referral links can be a powerful marketing tool to generate referrals for your business. They can provide a low cost or free way to let your relationships know you are open for business, taking on new clients and looking for people like them.
Your messaging introducing your link can also help you support your unique branding and ideal clients you are targeting to facilitate more strategic introductions to “ideal clients”.
If you’ve been asking: Where can I post referral links? Or what is the best place to share referral links? Then you’ve found the right place!
Here is a top 10 list to consider for the best places to advertise your business through referral links along with some “safety tips” for each:
- Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Social media can be noisy and crowded so it is important to keep your messaging “FAD” – fresh, authentic and differentiated. Just slapping a referral link in posts will likely get lost if you don’t. Posts, groups, and direct messaging can all be productive – just do it often, mix up your messaging, and be clear on why someone should refer.
- Online forums and communities related to your referral program’s niche.
If your clients are attorneys – look for online communities that bring attorneys together and provide support for them. Simply googling “where do attorneys hang out online” can help. The key here is to consider your current relationship and market share with a particular niche. What is the strength of your brand? If low, you will need to deliver value first before advertising referrals.
- Your own website or blog if you have one.
There are lots of places on your website and company blogs to advertise referral links. You can install them with some supporting copy on any landing pages and add hyperlinks to your blogs. The key here is to make sure you provide context for “why” people should refer and then make it easy for them to do so.
- Email marketing campaigns sent to your subscribers or potential leads.
No matter what CRM or platform you use for email, most growth businesses add a link such as “ReferMe” to them. Where I see the challenge is that more often than not, the link is at the bottom with no messaging or context to them so most readers simply pass over it. Adding some compelling messaging including potential incentives can help conversion quite a bit. The other issue is that at best they produce names – with no support for making a proper introduction or getting the referral interested prior to contact.
- Referral marketing platforms like ReferMe IQ™.
There are a handful of programs out there that attempt to automate the referral process for businesses. Some focus on building “community”, some focus more on gifting programs, and others focus on putting content out in the marketplace with hopes of attracting referrals. One in particular provides an external referral link that can be put in multimedia platforms that makes it much easier to advertise your referral link. It also automates all of the key behaviors of referral success and has a conversion process integrated into the solution.
- Coupon and deal websites like RetailMeNot and Honey.
This can be an overlooked place to advertise referral links. Deal websites reach a significant number of potential customers virtually every time online transactions occur for participating users. You’ll want to make sure you work directly with each to tailor your audience to your target audience.
- YouTube and other video sharing platforms.
YouTube has grown significantly over the last few years as the appetite for video has exploded for personal and business applications. As you create videos for your business, adding your referral link with some copy at the end or in the first comments section can help you spread the word about your business.
- Influencer marketing campaigns with bloggers, vloggers, or social media influencers.
It can take years to build your own business community. Why not tap into networks or hundred if not thousands that others have built? Just make sure you focus on those who serve an audience that aligns with your target market. Find ways to add value to the influencer including potential revenue sharing resulting in allowing some messagings and your business referral link.
- Google AdWords and other PPC advertising networks.
Many businesses engage in various forms of paid media as part of an online marketing growth strategy. . When you do, this provides an opportunity to advertise your business referral link. When you evaluate your ROI with paid media, make sure you incorporate revenue received for referral business from your link. This can be a nice magnifier of ROI.
- Your signature line of outreach via email, text and event marketing invitations.
Your signature line on all forms of outreach is not just a statement of your contact information. It represents your branding when combined with your logo, color palette, type and front and more. Having a “ReferMe” link that makes it easy to refer and also creates the most effective path to conversion tells your audience you work through referrals and welcome more.
It’s important to keep in mind that different referral programs may have different rules and regulations regarding where and how referral links can be advertised. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of your referral program before promoting your referral links.
ReferMe IQ™ is passionate about helping organizations build high growth referral-based businesses with their ”state of the art” automated referral platform. Peter S. Velardi is an accomplished senior executive and entrepreneur who has impacted thousands of individuals and organizations to build a fast growing referral based business.
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