An effective referral program can help boost B2B lead generation in India by creating better opportunities. Referrals usually have a
shorter sales cycle with their built-in trust component, they can help enhance
both the quantity and quality of B2B lead generation in India immensely as
prospects are more receptive and agree more easily to an appointment. However,
many sales experts believe that developing and maintaining a lead generation
referral program is a costly affair, some even suggest that it’s not worth
investing your time, effort and money in such programs and the traditional
methods are still best suited for the purpose. This is not necessarily true if
you know the fundamentals well and can create your referral program based on
certain principles. So what are these principles that can help you develop an effective referral program and boost B2B lead
generation in India?
Customer satisfaction:
The basic principle of any business is: you remain in the
business till your customer is satisfied and happy. Keep your customers happy
and they will refer you to their friends, industry peers and colleagues even
without a formal request from your side.
Incentive plans:
Plan incentives for those who refer you to their associates,
friends and acquaintances. Their time is valuable and you should make an effort
to compensate for the time they have taken from their busy schedules to forward
your cause. This incentive may be in the form of a cash reward or a discount,
or perhaps your services or useful information.
Make it convenient for them:
These decision makers have tight schedules, you just can’t
call them at any time of the day and ask them for referrals. Try to make it
convenient for them, add a tag line in your email or a prominent button on your
website. Request for a referral when you are having an
informal chat during leisure hours. Express your gratitude after you get a
referral, they have invested their precious time in giving you a new business
opportunity.
An effective referral program is a very strong tool for
enhancing B2B lead generation in India. However, it doesn’t mean that the sales
people don’t have to do the basic hard work, they still have to do the
research, prepare effective scripts, build relationships and take a sales lead
to its logical conclusion.
