“Something to remember is that
word-of-mouth alone is not enough to
drive new business in, so a referral
system needs to consist of a specific
plan of action that would yield the
desired results.”
LaGrass thinks it’s important to make
a referral program attainable in order to
not discourage individuals. “Make it
exciting and talk it up. Treat the person
who refers you the most like a VIP
to show you appreciate his or her
business,” she says.
For Micu, when planning a referral
program, she recommends asking the
basic questions: “Who is the target
audience? How are you planning to ask
for their referrals? What are you offering
in exchange?”
LaGrass says the easiest way to get
the basics right is to ask spa guests
which incentive they value most. “Send
out a survey,” she suggests. “The
program should be something they
appreciate so going straight to the
source is always a good idea.”
When offering a voucher or credit,
pay attention to details such as clearly
communicating the small print qualifications (i.e., cannot be combined with
other offers, available only at certain
times or days, etc.) in order to avoid
guest frustration and confusion.
Marketing Right
Getting staff and even resource partners’
buy-in to a referral program is an important part of the puzzle. “A spa can pair
up with another establishment and
cross-sell services at special prices. Our
retail partners are usually great at assisting us with our incentive efforts by
contributing with promotional events
and products,” Micu says.
She has seen word-of-mouth success
through community events. “Educational
seminars are perfect opportunities to
educate existing guests and demonstrate
to potential guests that your services are
worth their interest. Gift cards or small
complimentary touches are also wonderful opportunities to capture new guests
and build on and solidify existing relationships,” she says.
To help keep track with referred guests,
JW Marriott The Rosseau Muskoka Resort
& Spa uses SpaSoft/Springer-Miller
Systems, which allows them to build
guest history and leave notes on profiles.
LaGrass, on the other hand, uses
SpaBiz to keep track of member points.
When marketing the program, she
employs a mix of email blasts using
Demandforce and social media
promotions. “I find people to be very
responsive on Instagram. They are also
able to tag each other to help spread the
word. Twitter and Facebook are great
informative platforms that can be linked
to email blasts or websites,” she says.
As for print collateral, she suggests
adding a “Referred by” line or box to
help keep track of referrers.
When it comes to referral programs,
there’s truth to the saying: “Ask and you
shall receive.” Micu thinks there’s a need
to proactively ask for referrals; otherwise,
they might not happen. “Something to
remember is that word-of-mouth alone is
not enough to drive new business in, so
a referral system needs to consist of a
specific plan of action that would yield
the desired results,” Micu says.
Ultimately, good customer service is
a key element to a successful referral
program, which is why it’s critical to get
staff on board. “We need to make sure
we deliver our promises and are genuine
in our actions,” says Micu. “Having the
team engaged in the referral process is
crucial. Once the referral plan is laid out,
communicate it to the team and ensure
their buy-in. Each and every team
member can then actively look for referrals by genuinely engaging customers,
delivering great services and building
relationships with guests.” n
June 2015
n
PULSE 37