The magic word to getting referrals: Even

Maria Sturova
Aug 31, 2018 · 2 min read

I was walking in my neighbourhood a few months ago and I stumbled upon what looked like a training session for a landscaping company. A passionate orator was speaking to a group of new recruits about what was expected of them last summer.

He was inspiring, he was bold, and he focused on one thing — doing something extra for every customer. Whether it was picking up some leaves, he said, or helping get the lawn furniture out of the basement.

This company has exactly the right idea in terms of growing their business by word of mouth.

I think the main thing about word of mouth is that it is based on conversations that people will have about your company or product.

And if you don’t give people anything interesting to say, it might not be enough that you provide a good service. That’s why “even” is key here.

“You got a dog? You’re looking for a vet? Try mine! She really cares and really follows up.” (boring.)

“She even got the drug company to give me a refund when my dog was allergic to their medication.” (interesting, and a true story! Here is my vet’s website.)

This works for all businesses, small and large, services and products alike. If you have a differentiation claim that you want people to talk about, back it up with an action that makes that conversation more interesting!

For example, an Ottawa startup that is setting up a marketplace for people to rent out their stuff, is focusing on ecology as a main selling point. It’s more eco-friendly to rent existing things than to buy new ones. They’re backing this up with an action of planting a tree for every new signup.

You can imagine the conversation: “Well, if you’re thinking of renting, it’s actually better for the environment! Try Ruckify. They even plant a tree when you when you sign up.”

Back to that landscaping company, which shall remain nameless because I’m still a little bit shy about approaching strangers on the street to nerd out about marketing…

I bet that this summer, all over town you could hear, “Try my guys! They did a great job on my lawn and they even….”

Maria Sturova

Written by

Marketing Therapist

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