Referral marketing is a common scenario in any industry to get more customers. In printing industry, often customers are seen asking each other about printing service providers and asking about work, price quotes, delivery and customer service. Still printing businesses often fail to concentrate on getting more referrals for their business.Apart from the good customer service and product quality, there are many ways that can be used to get organic customer referral from the loyal customers.
The conventional method of getting referrals from customers work only with loyal client base and the turnaround ratio is very less. Another problem for conventional form of referral is their credence and showcasing them to other customers for building trust and giving more businesses.
Why client referrals are important?
According to one of the survey done by Print Marketing USA Association, the closing ratio of referrals of people who are referred to buy is in the range of 60% – 75% range. Referrals customers give usually higher margins due to less competitive pressures and less cost of acquisition.
Moreover if customers are happy, they usually tell about brand experience to two to five people. Active referral advertising contribute to 10-20% of sales for print businesses. This means there’s still gap in the existing referral programs.
Internet penetration and digital technologies have spoiled customer for choices and they are able to find out how good services are for any business. Amidst all this, printing businesses also need to motivate customer to ask for referrals. Apart from using conventional method, it is time for established businesses to employ some digital methods to get more reviews online.
Technology assists businesses for fulfilling customers’ requirements with ease. On the other hand web to print technology makes it easy for customers to contact businesses anytime and reward them for their services in terms of reviews.
Web to print and referral programs
Web to print provides businesses with features like eCommerce functionalities that allows them to manage varied aspects of personalization, order processing, delivery and shipping. These different aspects make overall customer experience.
Print businesses combined with ecommerce have an overall advantage in framing referral program because print businesses understand marketing very well. Web to print comes with never seen before product design templates making print businesses multispecialty and one stop solution for print buyers.
Mobile friendly product design with unrivaled customization capacity and advanced workflow suite features make clients highly engaged and ensures long-term loyalty. This loyalty can be converted into referral advertising.The best part about these solutions is that come with substantial cost without burden on your business and that cost can be recovered within stipulated time.
Personalization lead to better customer experiences
The best thing about printing products is their tangibility that depends on the quality and vibrancy of the products. Personalization is one of the factor to keep the vibrancy of the products intact and staying competitive in the market. It is difficult for printers to focus on product dynamism rather than faster turnaround times and shorter runs. Providing digital platforms to customers where they can design their products and put them directly into print.
Advanced web to print solutions with in-built product designer provides advanced design features that leads to end-to-end customization from t-shirts to calendars to fridge magnets. These kind of product designers allow businesses to ask clients to review and refer them to friends and family leading to more business.
What needs to be included in your referral marketing program?
Demands are increasing and with the rising global population, there’s market for everything. As the market is moving towards meeting customers demand and reach them virtually. Printers need to have proper client retention and referral strategies in place. Web to print is the anchor of all client referral strategies and there’s no second thought about why printers need to have web to print solutions.
1. Reviews and ratings – Every one of us have come across one or the other site where we have been asked to rate businesses, in mobile app or their website. While other businesses like ecommerce and restaurants are using this, printing businesses are lagging behind. Loyal and delighted customers tend to rate businesses with a single prompt.
2. Discounts for referrals – Referral programs need to be rolled out to every customer once they receive service from your end. Happy customers tend to spread out the word-of-mouth very quickly so club it with discount on their next orders.
3. Reward for referee – Referral advertising clubbed with rewards and offers for customers can generate more referrals.
4. Mode of promotion – Referral advertising can be promoted with newsletters, printed materials sent to customers and via web to print website and social media channels. Sales team can be very crucial as well in promoting and educating customers about getting more referrals.
Conclusion
Just implementing web to print for your businesses doesn’t solve the problem of emerging digital competitive industry. Utilizing every aspect of your web to print software with product design tool, print MIS, managing printing methods and enhancing overall customer experience leading to more referrals.
Seeing printing businesses struggling to make margins in industry, it is advisable to leave your technological initiatives to a trusted web to print partner and focus on getting more referrals for your business. Industry is changing fast and the only way to survive in low margins industry is to keep your sales pipeline intact and flowing all the time.
This is Amy Watson works for Design’N’Buy, a leader in Web2Print software solution. She has more than 5 years of experience in product customization software. She has just research, analysed and introduced about web-to-print product customize software to use anytime from anywhere.
