Digital marketing is a more up-to-date facet of marketing. As technology advanced, so did marketing, thus making it one of the most effective ways to increase profits or brand authority in the age of the Internet. As global connectivity strengthened with the World Wide Web, many businesses were able to use digital marketing as a means to increase referrals. The same is true for the real estate industry, where the competition is quite stiff. While this is an old concept, referrals still stand as one of the most effective ways to get more clients as people tend to place a higher trust on businesses that are recommended by those within their social circle.
That said, here are some foolproof ways on how you can increase your referrals through digital marketing:
- Go The Extra Mile With Your Customer Service
All thanks to technology, there are many easy and accessible ways you can show your concern for clients through digital marketing. With email marketing and social media marketing, for instance, you can create automated emails that can send friendly reminders to your existing clients. For instance, you can alert them of new house listings. On a more personal level, you can even do this during their birthdays. A simple gesture such as a thoughtful email is enough to improve your customer service because it makes your clients feel appreciated and valued. When existing clients are happy, there's a higher chance that they are going to recommend you to their peers.
- Give Incentives For Social Media Sharing
The great thing about social media sharing is that it's free. You don't have to spend an extremely large amount to get your clients to share posts about what you do as a business. By providing incentives, you can encourage your clients to spread the word about your services in social media. You can even use social media to post new house listings as well. For instance, you can ask your followers to share a post about your services, and the more likes or comments they get, the better the incentives they’ll receive.
Don't underestimate the power of social media posts. Friends of your clients who see that post might just be convinced to get your services, too. Because of one simple post, you've gained new referrals.
- Be Responsive To Comments
Monitoring comments and suggestions through social media can be much easier as you can immediately see them on a particular post, and can even deliver real-time feedback to address your clients’ questions or concerns. Clients will highly appreciate your responsiveness, especially those who are looking for prices and other information about homes. This can be one good reason for them to refer you to other people they know.
When people see that you’re quick to answer questions, those who may not be interested initially can turn into leads and eventually convert into paying customers. Getting the help of an agency will also be to your advantage when it comes to employing the right digital marketing strategies. For instance, if you’re a construction company, you can get construction leads - Hook Agency and improve your referrals.
- Create Simple Games Or Raffles Online
If you browse through social media sites today, you might find that numerous businesses are continually posting games and raffle draws. You can do the same as well. The mechanics are mostly simple: all your followers have to do is to “Like” the post, share it on their respective social media accounts, and refer or tag friends in the comments section. One tagged social media account per comment, and each tag entitles them to one entry. The friends they’ve tagged can already be considered as referrals. If they knew nothing about your business or services at first, now they do simply because they have been tagged. Who knows—these referrals might even take the time to get to know more about your business by browsing through your website.
- Don’t Forget To Be Thankful
Whenever a referral is made, don’t forget to express thanks. Even if the referral has yet to make a purchase, offer your client incentives and gifts. Through digital marketing, you can easily track this on links that you send to clients whom you invite to a referral program. Gifts and incentives don't even have to be grand. They can come in the form of simple discount cards or free appraisals.
Apart from sending gifts, you can also recognize your clients' efforts for getting referrals. You can call them or send them an email thanking them for their time and effort. That way, they might even be more diligent in getting referrals for your business.
Conclusion
When someone you know personally refers you to a brand, it can be a whole new level of trust for a company or brand. The same principle applies to businesses: industries are reliant upon referrals to increase their market share. With digital marketing, this can be achieved easily and effectively.
