Expand your network and generate more business using a referral email template.
You just made a huge sale, and your customer couldn’t be happier. She loved the customer service, your product was a perfect match, and she has plenty of business colleagues who could probably use your company, too. It’s a dream come true! Except for one thing. You don’t have a referral email template. So instead of sending out a referral request while she’s still basking in the glow of the sale, you have to think through an email, spell check it, and proofread it, all while setting appointments and making calls to other customers.
Referrals are an essential part of any sales job. They’re your foot in the door to new business. Referrals work so well because someone—a customer, usually—is vouching for you to someone they know and trust. This builds rapport almost immediately. And it can all begin with a simple referral email template.
A referral email template is a way to encourage current customers to refer their colleagues, families, and friends to your business. These emails are concise and enthusiastic, with a hint of humility to demonstrate your gratitude for someone else helping you develop a new lead.
Using a template comes with plenty of advantages, too. For one, you don’t have to write the same email over and over again, which saves you a lot of time. Second, a template will keep your message focused and structured, so you don’t end up including information that you don’t need. And one of the best things about a referral email template is that it doesn’t cost you anything, which means that any sales that come as a result are almost pure profit.
Analyze the success of your referral emails with Call Logic’s call management software. Learn more about reporting and other great features by signing up for a free demo today.
The perfect referral email template: 4 Steps to getting it right
1. What to include
A referral template should be brief—a short paragraph or two at the most. Don’t spend time boasting about your product or services. Instead, remind the recipient why they would send you referrals in the first place. In other words, refer to your client’s satisfaction from the start.
“Dear [Client], Congratulations again on the purchase of your new software package! I hope you’re already enjoying the benefits it can provide for you and your business.”
From there, get right to your point about referrals.
“When we spoke the other day, you sounded delighted with your purchase. I’m wondering if you’d be willing to share my information with any colleagues or friends who might require the same kind of software? I’d be extremely grateful for any introductions you could make.”
In its purest form, that’s all you need for a referral email template. You can add other things if you like, such as a rewards incentive program, which is another excellent way to get clients to refer new customers to you. No matter which add-ons you choose, remember to keep the language simple and upbeat and to talk about the client more than you talk about yourself.
2. What to avoid
Be careful not to sound too sales-y in your referral email template. You want your clients to feel they’re doing a favor for you because of their relationship with you, not like they’ve been put up to something they otherwise wouldn’t have thought to do. That said, it’s also important that your tone doesn’t come across as too informal since this is still a business transaction. Find the balance between sincerity and professionalism.
Another thing to avoid is asking for referrals from unhappy customers. This seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how often a salesperson reaches out to the wrong clientele for referrals. If someone had a less-than-positive experience with you, it’s unlikely they’re going to want to refer you to people they know and trust, even if you offer an incentive program. Vet your customers ahead of time and select only the ones that you know were happy with your interactions.
3. How to measure results
Using a referral email template can broaden your customer base, but then again, so do your other prospecting methods. So how do you know if the referral emails are working?
One way to know is to ask a new customer how they heard of you if they don’t volunteer the information first. When they reply with the name of one of your customers, you’ll know your referrals are taking hold.
If a customer introduces you and the referral, then there’s nothing to guess about—you already know it worked!
An effective way to measure email referral success is to use software with reporting features, like Call Logic, where you can isolate and analyze which methods are working the best for you. You’ll still need a way to know whether or not a new prospect is a referral, but when you put all that information into one place and run a report, it will be much easier to see how the numbers are working to your advantage.
4. Tweak your approach
It may take a while—weeks or even months—to know how well your email referral template is working. If you’re not getting the results you’d hoped for, try touching up your template. See if there are ways you can make it shorter or more inspiring. Ask yourself if you would be compelled by the email if you received it. Remember the ultimate purpose of this template is to make connections, so make sure you use warm, friendly language and demonstrate gratitude.
You may have to adjust your template from time to time based on the clients you’re reaching out to and the product or service you’re offering. Even so, creating and using a template minimizes the amount of emailing you’ll have to do so you can focus more on what you’re there to do, which is to sell.
Create referral email templates and more with Call Logic’s call management system. Sign up for a free demo right now to learn more!