As a motivational speaker, you know how important it is to get referrals from your clients, audience, and network. Referrals can help you land more gigs, build your reputation, and grow your business. But how do you effectively track and manage your referral sources? In this article, you will learn some practical tips and tools to help you do just that.
The first step is to identify who is referring you and why. You can do this by asking your clients and prospects how they heard about you, and by collecting feedback from your audience after your presentations. You can also use online tools such as Google Analytics, social media analytics, or email marketing software to track the sources of your website traffic, followers, and subscribers. By identifying your referral sources, you can understand what motivates them to recommend you, what kind of value they get from your content, and what kind of problems they need you to solve.
The second step is to show your appreciation to your referral sources. You can do this by sending them a thank-you note, a gift, or a testimonial. You can also offer them a discount, a bonus, or a referral fee for their next booking or purchase. You can also share their content, mention them in your presentations, or invite them to your events. By appreciating your referral sources, you can strengthen your relationship with them, increase their loyalty, and encourage them to refer you more often.
I tend to moderate more than deliver keynotes and I completely agree that it is hugely important to appreciate referral sources. In addition to what is laid out here, I try to invite sources to speak on panels that I am moderating. This allows me to stay in touch and also create a sort of community.
The third step is to segment your referral sources according to their level of influence, interest, and engagement. You can do this by using a CRM (customer relationship management) system, a spreadsheet, or a simple list. You can also use categories such as clients, prospects, partners, peers, fans, or influencers. By segmenting your referral sources, you can prioritize your communication and follow-up with them, tailor your messages and offers to their needs and preferences, and measure your referral performance.
The fourth step is to nurture your referral sources by providing them with valuable and relevant content, information, and support. You can do this by creating a newsletter, a blog, a podcast, or a video series. You can also use social media, email, phone, or face-to-face meetings to stay in touch and update them on your latest projects, achievements, and offers. By nurturing your referral sources, you can build trust and credibility with them, educate them on your topic and expertise, and inspire them to take action.
The fifth step is to ask for referrals from your referral sources. You can do this by creating a referral program, a landing page, a form, or a script. You can also use incentives, challenges, contests, or rewards to motivate them to refer you. You can also use testimonials, case studies, or stories to demonstrate your value and impact. By asking for referrals, you can increase your visibility and reach, generate more leads and opportunities, and grow your business.
The sixth step is to track and measure your referrals by using metrics, tools, and feedback. You can do this by setting goals, benchmarks, and indicators for your referral activities, such as number of referrals, conversion rate, revenue, or ROI. You can also use analytics, reports, or surveys to monitor and evaluate your referral results, such as satisfaction, retention, loyalty, or advocacy. By tracking and measuring your referrals, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses, optimize your strategies and tactics, and improve your outcomes.
Referrals are Gold if you are or aspire to be a motivational speaker. When you are starting out on this journey, it is very important to build a support ecosystem of people who reach out and tell you that what you said resonated. Stay connected and seek feedback. That way your referral ecosystem is invested in your success. And, whenever, an opportunity presents itself, include someone from your network in your gig - as a participant.