It is easy to forget how important word-of-mouth recommendations are. We have become so enamored with digital marketing and social media that all of our businesses are focused on using Facebook and Instagram to attract as many clients as our Tampa web design companies can. What we fail and forget to realize is that word-of-mouth or personal recommendations are still the most effective kind of referrals we can get from our present customers.

But really, how does one ask a customer for a referral? Should you just wait for the client to offer to write one or can you ask it directly from him/her?

Make It a Part of the Conversation

Make sure that your customers are aware that at some point in the future, you will ask for a recommendation or for them to write a review about your business. You might also ask if they know some other clients who they can recommend. That should be okay with them if this is part of your conversation from your first meeting. Some clients are uncomfortable about recommending any service or product to their friends or family. Don’t feel bad if some won’t give you the referral you’re asking for even if they were satisfied with your performance.

Set Achievable Goals

If you think referrals are going to bring more customers to your business, then focus your marketing strategy on that. This means that you have to set goals as to what you want to achieve. For example, set your goal to five or 10 referrals in a week. Slowly, you should increase the number of referrals you are trying to reach.

Be Specific With What You’re Asking

Let your customers know what kind of referrals you are seeking. Do you want high-income customers? How about bigger companies? Do you want to make a bid for bigger companies looking for a Tampa web design company? If they know who you are targeting, they might be able to help you more.

Don’t Accept Just Any Referral

Random names won’t work for you. What you’re seeking is a quality referral or recommendation. The people that your customers will recommend should have a genuine interest in Tampa web design. They should need a web designer or a web developer. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time trying to reach out to these people. If you have a buyer persona, it’s okay to share this with your customers so they know what kind of customers you want to attract.