[GrateWizard]

I am running a painting business and the biggest advertisement for me is word of mouth. And so I am trying to reward my current homeowners with an incentive to recommend me. But I am struggling with an idea for an incentive for the homeowner that was recommended to me.

For instance: I give a homeowner that I already worked with/or currently painting, my business card with the last 4 digits of their contract number on the back of my business card. If they give those cards out to someone that they know and actually need a paint job, I reward the person for advertsing me with a $10 gift certificate to a resturaunt in the area. IF they recommend me to three people that need paint jobs, they would get $50 towards a resturaunt.

Now in return, I don't know how to reward the homeowner that was recommended to me and shares the 4 digit code on the back. Any ideas??

Is this idea even worth bothering with? If so, how do you think I could improve?

Any ideas are welcome!

Thanks

[Bemyownboss]

i think it is a good idea, different way of advertising. But I don't know if you need to reward the homeowner that you were recommended to. I mean your service is what they needed, and they didn't have to go through much trouble finding you.

Good idea, I like it!

[legit hustler]

first off, good idea!
you should fine tune it and call it something like Referral Rewards Program (so people know they are part of something with structure). you can do the same little thing with your business cards(good idea, and keep track of everything), but you should make the incentive more intiesing. structure something like this; give the person who gives you the referral a certain percentage of the sale. That amount might only equal $20 to $50 or less, but money talks, and teir it so that after they hit a certain number of purchasing referrals, they'll make more money. I do this form of marketing quite often in my industry "real estate finance", and it works wonders. I have people who make a nice monthly income based off of referring me business (one lady regularly gets about $300 from me every month).
If you think about it we know lots and lots of people that we can referr, it's just getting us to do it. incentive always works.

good luck to you.

[BenBale]

well how much money do you make for a average paint job?

$10 doesnt sound very attractive to me, unless you can get a deal with a local resteraunt that they make and give you like 100 free $10 discount vouchers.

[villarrealsj]

Originally Posted by GrateWizard

Now in return, I don't know how to reward the homeowner that was recommended to me and shares the 4 digit code on the back. Any ideas??

Is this idea even worth bothering with? If so, how do you think I could improve?

Any ideas are welcome!

Thanks

I understand your question. Hmm... well, the common sense response would be to simply give that customer a different card. This wouldn't be difiicult since you would interact with them in one way or another. Just explain to them... "I appreciate you coming to me and here's my card. If you ever find anyone who needs my services, just give them this card. As a thank you, I give my referring customers gift certificates to a local restaraunt. Just a small way of showing my appreciation."

Problem solved.

Either that or do the more structured way... as previously stated. Join them into your Referral Program of some sort.

But if simplicity is your preferrence, try the first and focus on your business instead of managing an entire Referral Program.

Best of Luck,