Everyone knows that the most important factors for increasing revenue is networking and referrals. In fact a recent survey showed that businesses generated 70% of their sales through referrals, many of which were generated through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
But no matter how awesome your tweets are or how great your Facebook page is designed, you won’t be getting support and passion without optimizing referrals. Luckily there are tools and techniques to help get the most out of social networks and supercharge your ambassador base. Here are 5 of them:
It can never hurt to ask your biggest fans for support. At the end of every sale, include a call-to-action that can generate more referrals. Something as simple as, “If you are happy with our brand, please refer us to your friends” can get the social network buzzing.
2. Keep track of your online referrals
Looking over online analytics is critical to a successful referral campaign. Reward people who mention your brand on Facebook with discounts or other incentives. The public recognition will get you more supporters and pump up your biggest ambassadors.
3. Track where your referrals are actually coming from
Being able to see where your referrals are generated can help your brand target its campaigns. If Facebook supporters are posting about your brand like crazy, now is the time to convert the new followers from leads to sales with incentives and rewards.
4. Pay it forward
If you’re referring people to another online business, chances are they’ll go ahead and refer your brand as well. Being engaged in Facebook’s community build lasting relationships with fans and other brands and can lead to more referrals for your own brand.
As always, getting likes on Facebook is only the first step. By continuing to engage your fans you’ll be able to build a strong community of brand ambassadors throughout the social web.