Selling cigars - all smoke and mirrors? (cont.)

Chapter 5 Encouraging word of mouth - a key to success

It's not easy in business. But that doesn't mean you should make it as hard as possible.

The easiest, best and most profitable customers you will ever get are those customers referred to you by their friends. They are the easiest, best and most profitable for a whole range of reasons.

• Don't need convincing that your business is trustworthy
• Know where you are and what you sell.
• Don't need expensive advertisements to become aware of you - reduced customer acquisition costs
• Are far more likely to buy.

The list goes on, but the bottom line is that referred customers are your best customers.

Now that's well and good. But how do you get your current customers to refer their friends?

Simple. You ask them.

Sure, it's not always as simple as saying "Do you have any friends who you'd like to bring in?"

But it can be!

Here's 3 ways to get your customers to refer others

• Offer such great and exceptional service that the customer can't help but recommend you.
• Have a "Bring a friend for free day" - or dinner, or lunch
• Offer an incentive for each current customer who is mentioned as referring a new customer - maybe some free cigars?

The key to generating referred business is this: trust.

The client has to trust that you'll treat their friend well. It's about your current client making a sacrifice - by putting part of their reputation on the line - and you not breaking that sacred trust.

If you remove that risk, then referral business will come to you for years to come. And that's the way to build a business.

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Brendon Sinclair