Do you have a Referral Program?

[Mike Hughes]

Do you offer any incentives to customers who provide you with referrals? Do you ask for them? If you do provide incentives, exactly how are you handling that?

I have been kicking around different ideas for a long time and never seem to take any action on it. I feel (and I know) that I am wasting a valuable resource. What works for you?

------------------
Mike Hughes
Everclear
Souderton, PA

[David Saulque]

I for one do not offer incentives to customers for service. I can think of many reasons not to offer. 1 - If your service is the best it can be that should speak for itself. 2 - Can be an accounting nightmare. 3 - Profit margins are low based on competition, thus you are giving your bottom line away-with no gain. 4 - I would try to give a related service free. For example I offer to service the floor drains at no charge-I takes 5 min.at best to service the drain back 20 feet.

In short, I just will not give it away-it was just to hard getting it.

David

------------------

[spraymasters]

Mike
We do have a referral program in place. What we do is mail a letter of gratitude for having us do the work for them and inside the letter is a flyer that tells them if they refer us to another customer that we do over 200 dollars worth of work for they will receive a 10 dollar check in the mail. We have mailed out several checks so far...works for us!
Den

------------------
Living Life On the Edge Makes Us Dizzy...WE LOVE DIZZY!

Dennis A. Cormier and Gloria A. Wagner
North Georgia Spray Masters, Inc.
spraymasters@hotmail.com

[David Saulque]

Now I like that idea!!!!! Good for those who work the public streets doing that residence thing. Any rebate in cash or check is much better than a % off. Rebate is something they can see-rather than a % off of what???????

David

------------------

[Mike Hughes]

To save on the headaches of cutting checks to customers, etc..........I have considered giving Home Depot gift cards instead. That way, cut one check to buy several of them at a time and document who you give them to.

To me, a Home Depot gift certificate is a good as cash, because if you own a home and can't find something you need in that place, you have serious problems. http://www.powerwash.net/ubb/hapfac01.gif

------------------
Mike Hughes
Everclear
Souderton, PA

[David Saulque]

Consider this - take it to the local hardware store - might get more gain. The small store trying keep his door open, would himself help you and promote the idea. Go to a local newspaper & you might be able to get some local PR print.


David

------------------

[Washaroo]

One idea I'm kicking around is to buy gift certificates from a local Restaurant for ten to fifteen dollars and have them issued for twenty dollars. I would use their name in my advertising and give one coupon per house wash. Ideally if I paid ten and the restaurant covered the other ten, knowing that people would likely purchase $40.00 to $60.00 dollars worth. They would have a good return on their share of the certificate, as well as new and , possible return customers.
Another one I've heard of was advertising a free car wash with a house wash. Apparently it went over really well. Who would have thought?????
Blake

------------------
Blake Keirstead
Washaroo Clean Services
Service South Eastern New Brunswick.....