Everyone knows that using referrals to grow your business is a smart move. Referrals bring in quality leads that are usually pre-qualified and ready to buy. Plus referred clients are the easiest to work with.
But what is the best way to keep track and manage those referrals?
The Referral Tree
A Referral Tree is a visual representation of your referrals. It will show the people who are referring others to you, as well as the referrals themselves.
While this concept may seem new, AllClients invented the CRM Referral Tree way back in 2006. Since then a handful of other CRM’s have followed our lead (copied us!).
The visual is not just a fun looking tree with dollar signs instead of leaves. It is an actual list of your clients showing all the referred clients underneath their name.
One of the most interesting things about having a referral tree is seeing all the referrals you get from referred clients. In the graphic below, you can see that Connie only referred 1 person to you: Christina. BUT look what Christina has done for your business. She has referred 4 people to you!
The Referral Tree Must be Automatic
Some of the other CRM’s who copied our Referral Tree left out a critical element. The building and maintenance of the Referral Tree must be an automatic process. If you have to remember to update your referral tree, it will never get done, or at least it won’t be complete and correct.
In AllClients when you add a new client, there is a field for you to indicate if that new client was a referral and who the referring client is. Just by completing this field, your referral tree is built and updated automatically.
Rewarding Your Best Referral Partners
Of course it is a good practice to acknowledge and even reward your clients who refer new clients to you. The referral tree makes that an easy process. At any time you can see at a glance who is helping your business with referrals.
Maybe it’s movie tickets, or a gift certificate, or even a handwritten thank-you note. Whatever your preferred way to say “Thank-You”, you now have an easy way to know who should be getting attention from you.
If your business can benefit from getting referrals, you need a referral tree to help you keep track and manage those referrals.
