How to ask for customer referrals ?

[AskTurfPro]

I have always thought that the best way to grow your business is through positive referrals from satisfied customers.

Do you ask your customers for referrals for new business? If yes, how do you approach them? How does it work for you? Do you reward them for the referral?

[Blades Lawn Maintenance]

Subscribing

[alldayrj]

Sometimes i tell them there is a gift for referring like a gift certificate etc. but every job i finish after we walk the job and i get paid i give the customer a few business cards for friends/family/neighbors.
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[AskTurfPro]

Thanks alldayrj, good suggestion. It probably works good if you do it face to face. Then they can see that you really value their referral. Your method probably works good for hardscaping.

I have allot of maintenance customers that I don't always see. I was thinking about putting a note in with invoices, and offering a gift certificate, but not sure how to track it and it seems a little impersonal.

[alldayrj]

Yea referrals are super important to my type of business because I'm constantly trying to find the next week or months work. We don't do the same patio every week ya kno? Having the advantage of being recommended to someone and having them call me without spending advertising$$$ is a wonderful thing
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[jsslawncare]

"Hey! you know anybody that need they grass cut?"
Say it just as I have worded it.

I personal don't ask customer's for this, but it still happen's and I don't offer reward's. I do thank them.

[fentonlawncare]

You can always follow up with your customers via e-mail. I always get my customers e-mail address. Ask them how they like your services, is there anything you could tweek and so forth. Then tell them you give a $5 off coupon for every referral that turns into a contract. So... if you are cutting someones lawn for $35 and they give you 2 referrals that lead to contracts their next weekly mowing would be $25. Something like this makes them feel valued because you are first getting there thoughts on your service and second giving them discounts if they get you referrals! It's a win win.

[Patriot Services]

I am toying with the idea of offering a one time discount for favorable reviews on my online sites such as Angies and Yelp, etc. Seems like the future way. Usually we get asked if we have room on our schedule for additional customers.
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[Kkane97]

I got 3 new accounts this year from referrals, I offered my existing customers 1 free cut for a new customer aquired, limit 1 per person per year (i dont work for free lol )

[BeachysLawn]

I've never understood why people limit the rewards. If a free cut was what I gave as a reward for a referral, I would cut a customers lawn for free all year long if they referred me 32 new weekly clients. The second and third referral are not worth less than the first one.