Referral marketing: How to turn customers into brand promoters

According to a study by Nilsen, 92% of consumers trust referrals from friends and family more than conventional advertising. According to the report, word of mouth marketing moves US$ 6 trillion annually and by 2028 should account for 13% of customer sales.In contrast, a Wharton School survey revealed that although 83% of consumers are willing to indicate a brand or product, only 29% actually do so.

Felipe Otoni, CEO of SegSmart company that aims to optimize the processes of selling products and services over the internet for any person or company that needs to leverage the business, the data indicates that corporations are losing money. ”People live in social groups and, therefore, referral marketing provides good results, and can provide a conversion rate of 80%. This happens because when someone makes a recommendation for a product or service, it makes for an individual who knows and who knows that will make good use of it. In this way, it is crucial that corporations have a referral program and take advantage of the opportunity to maximize their results”, explains the executive.

According to Otoni, the word of a satisfied customer is the best social proof & mental trigger to accelerate sales through influence – that a brand can have, because it has the ability to change the vision and decision making of a potential consumer who is in doubt. In this scenario, the CEO of SegSmart brings three tips to turn customers into promoters of a brand, check out:

Know when to get new leads with customers

The first step is to understand that there are strategic moments to address the issue with the customer.“O timing to talk about indications makes all the difference. The best periods are: in payment; in the delivery of the product or service; and when the consumer perceives positive and palpable results. These situations are favorable because he is in a moment of high satisfaction and, therefore, more inclined to recommend his brand”, explains Otoni.

Offer incentives

According to the Manager's Yearbook: CX Trends 2024, prepared by OpinionBox in partnership with Octadesk, 48% of Brazilian consumers make a point of publicly praising a brand and recommending it to friends and acquaintances after a good experience. In this context, Otoni highlights that it is enough for a satisfied customer to start a cycle of recommendations, which can be encouraged with a reward system. “In addition to thanking for the indication, show the consumer how important this is for you. One way to do this is to adopt a methodology that will bonus who made the recommendation.

Cultivate the relationshipFinally, Otoni points out that it is crucial to maintain and ensure the relationship with the customer after sales, this is because such action reinforces consumer confidence in the brand and generates spontaneous indications. “From the moment you stimulate the indications in your company, this opens a new sales channel that needs little investment and generates a large sum of return”, he concludes.