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Networking and referrals

Overview

Networking and referrals are two powerful strategies that small businesses can use to grow their customer base and increase revenue.

By building relationships with other businesses and individuals, you can tap into their networks and gain access to new customers who may not have heard of your business before.

For example, let’s take a look at two well-known global brands: Uber and Airbnb.

Both of these companies have used networking and referrals to their advantage.

Uber offers referral bonuses to both drivers and riders, which has helped them grow their user base exponentially.

Airbnb has a similar referral program that rewards both hosts and guests for referring new users to the platform.

How to

So, how can small businesses harness the power of networking and referrals? Here are some steps to get started:

Step 1: Identify potential partners

Start by identifying other businesses or individuals who share your target audience.

Look for businesses that offer complementary products or services to your own, but are not direct competitors.

You can also consider joining local business groups or attending networking events to meet potential partners.

Step 2: Build relationships

Once you’ve identified potential partners, focus on building relationships with them.

This means taking the time to get to know them, understanding their business goals, and finding ways to collaborate.

You can start by offering to promote their business to your own customers, or by offering to collaborate on a joint marketing campaign.

Step 3: Offer incentives

To encourage your partners to refer new customers to your business, consider offering incentives such as discounts, referral bonuses, or free products or services.

Make sure these incentives are valuable enough to motivate your partners to take action.

Step 4: Track results

It’s important to track the results of your networking and referral efforts to see what’s working and what’s not.

Use tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic and referral sources, and ask new customers how they heard about your business.

Best Practices

  • Focus on building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with your partners
  • Offer valuable incentives to motivate your partners to refer new customers
  • Track your results to see what’s working and what’s not
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals – your partners are more likely to refer customers if you ask
  • Be patient – networking and referrals take time to build
  • Follow up with your partners regularly to maintain the relationship

Examples

Here are two potential examples of how small businesses can use networking and referrals:

Example 1: Local Coffee Shop

A local coffee shop could partner with a nearby bakery to offer a joint promotion.

The coffee shop could offer a discount on their drinks to customers who show a receipt from the bakery, and vice versa.

The coffee shop and bakery could also promote each other on social media and in their email newsletters.

Example 2: Online Clothing Store

An online clothing store could partner with a popular fashion blogger to offer a discount code to their followers.

The blogger could promote the discount code on their social media channels and blog, and the clothing store could offer the blogger a commission on any sales made using the code.

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