Every salesman loves a referral – it’s like your previous customers have already sold the job, and your sales team only has to prepare the paperwork! In comparing different lead sources for remodelers, nothing compares to referrals, both in terms of having a high closing rate and a low rescission rate. Referrals are motivated buyers, coming to you mostly convinced that you are their remodeler of choice.

Ready for more referrals? Download our referral request templates for strategies to make it happen!

So, how do you populate your sales funnel with these great leads? Step one – create a referral program with winning incentives, if you don’t have one already. Once your referral program is in place, here are 3 fast tips for maximizing your referral stream.

1) Mention it to everyone.

Think of your email signature like a free billboard. You are communicating with your customers day in and day out with emails. Think particularly of your customer-facing staff, like your office administrators and appointment setters. If every appointment you confirm has a gentle reminder that you have a referral program (with a link describing the benefits of referring a friend), then you will win more referrals!

2) Use your jobsites as billboards.

Any new customer will want to see that your previous customers are happy – that’s why they seek out reviews and love to look at photos of your previous jobs. The simplest way to show potential customers your previous work is to put up a yard sign at houses you’ve worked at! Offer a small discount to your customers to place the sign, if you need to. If you’re ready to move into greater complexity, consider radius mailers or canvassing neighborhoods where you’ve previously made sales.

Think about it – a yard sign is a conversation starter. All of the neighbors will see your yard sign, and they’ll ask your customer how the remodel went. That gives your customer the perfect opportunity to refer you!

3) Ask gently, but ask directly

The centerpiece of any referral marketing campaign will be directly asking for referrals. The best and most scalable way to ask is by email. You can and should keep in touch with your previous customer base with an email every month or two, both to encourage referrals and to encourage repeat business.

Not sure what to say? You have to be careful in wording your referral requests, and it’s more complicated than it looks on the face of it. That’s why we put together easy-to-customize templates for you! Download them below, and watch as your referral sales surge!