Get Your Clients Talking About You

More great ideas from Mr. Cates about how to get your clients generating positive word of mouth on your behalf. While value and service are critical ingredients in your recipe for getting your client talking about you to others, you can go beyond these.

Pretend for a minute that you are the client of a professional you work with on a fairly regular basis. If he dropped off a bushel of apples to your office, do you think you'd likely tell a few folks? Of course you would. You'd probably share the apples with your co-workers and they'd ask you why.

If he sent you a photograph of your favorite baseball team doctored to make it look like YOU hit the winning home run, do you think you'd hang it on your office wall to show others? Are you kidding? You'd hang it in the most prominent place. Others would ask you where you got it.

If he sent you a calendar that had all YOUR important dates already written into it (birthdays of relatives, wedding anniversary, etc.), do you think you'd tell others - maybe even show others? Naturally.

If he got you incredible seats to a sporting event, or hosted a fun party at the racetrack, do you think you'd invite others to share the experience? And even if you didn't bring anyone, would you tell others later? You bet!

These are just a few creative ways to geneate word of mouth. Being creative with thank-you gifts, client appreciation events, etc. can get your clients talking about you with excitement and appreciation. And getting your clients to talk about you - in any positive manner - will stimulate referrals.

Of course, you have to be good at your core work. Assuming that, when your clients tell others about you in an upbeat way - invariably they will ask them "are you happy with your ______________(insert your profession here) or "I haven't been happy with my guy lately, would you recommend yours?"

The next time you think about sending a thank-you gift to your client, or hosting a client-appreciation or referral event, don't go the safe, mundane route. Dare to be creative. Dare to do things in a way that gets your clients talking.