Hi, everyone:

I'm thinking about really marketing a referral bonus to those who refer new, paying clients to me--but I'm not sure exactly what to offer. Does anyone have any insight, through their experiences, on what's a good/standard referral percentage? 5%, 10%, or a dollar amount? Just wanting to make sure it's in the right ballpark, lol.

Also, for those who have referral plans, do you regularly mention it via your newsletters, on your website or in your signatures? And do you get good results?

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Vonetta Booker-Brown
Right Hand Concepts (www.RightHandConcepts.com)

Whoops...after submitting this, I saw several similar threads about "referrals," lol--so pardon me for posting yet another one! I'm going to check those out, but feel free to offer any insight on this thread also. :-)

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Vonetta Booker-Brown
Right Hand Concepts (www.RightHandConcepts.com)

Not to worry Vonetta
I do offer thank you's for referrals - usually relative to the amount of the invoice or potential contract - sometimes it's a cash gift, or a discount on the next invoice (for existing clients) but more often it's a more personal kind of gift...

We've sent the following as thank you's: edible goodies, a printer, a digital smartpen, marketing books, gift cards to cool cafes or eateries in their neighborhood, spa visits, KIVA.org gift certificates... etc. It's more fun to give 'real' gifts but it seems the monetary ones are just as appreciated!

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I offer 10% off their next invoice or $25 off whichever is greater. I like Tess' ideas too though and will definitely keep those in mind.

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Kimberly
Facebook Marketing Magic!

I don't have an actual referral program in place for regular clients yet, its kind of off the cuff, but tax clients referrals are $10.00. Refer a paying tax customer and receive $10.00. I have referral coupons that I hand out at networking events and enclose with the clients tax return. If someone brings in the coupon, which has the referring persons name/address on it, I mail them $10.00. The coupons actually come in my tax software so I just use those.

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Rebecka Melson ~ Virtual Business Services