How to get referrals for your business

When you get ready for a face-to-face appointment with a client or a meeting at work or an art gallery, I bet, at a minimum, you make sure your clothing is appropriate, you allow enough time to arrive on time and you are prepared with a goal. In other words, you are prepared to present yourself well in person. This is an old-fashioned way of making sure your ‘brand’ and ‘message’ are consistent and that ultimately, your satisfied clients will refer business to you.

These days, it’s still important to present yourself well in person, but now, you have some pretty fabulous online tools available to support and reinforce that face-to-face message you work so hard to cultivate! Here are a few suggestions to help you ‘ramp up’ your online ‘face’ so that you look as fabulous online as you do in person.

Suggestion #1: Get a great photograph

Get a great photograph of YOU looking straight at the camera lens and use it to create your online image. This image will help reinforce who you are and what you do on the internet. If you live in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area and need a fabulous photographer, contact Gail Matsumoto. She’s reasonably priced and takes great photos.

Now that you have a fabulous photograph, use it to create a profile in each and everyone one of the online social media platforms in which you choose to participate. When you take the time to upload a professional and recognizable image of yourself into your social media platforms of choice, you are creating opportunities for prospective clients to see and find you everyday, all day.

Suggestion #2: Create a YELP profile

I have a profile on YELP. I’ve had the profile since 2010 and I confess I thought I would use it more often to check out restaurants and eateries here in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area and beyond. But, frankly, I love to cook at home with family and friends and when I do eat out, I tend to rely on old-fashioned word of mouth.

So, you can imagine my surprise, when I got an email from prospect, now client, Julianne Seeley, who told me she had found me on YELP and wondered if I could create and build a website for her custom drapery, shades, bedding, and slipcover business. I had never thought of YELP as a source for prospective clients, but I’m glad that my profile shared enough information so that Julianne contacted me and ultimately agreed to have me create her website for her fabulous small business called “Finishing Touches by Julianne.”

Suggestion #3: Create a Google+ profile

If you are a small business owner, take the time to complete your Google+ profile. Even if you’re a corporate ninja in the Research Triangle Park and have spent hours and hours creating that ever important Linkedin Profile. Over time, I believe that your ‘face,’ your area of expertise will ultimately be associated with how people search for you online. And, most of the world, searches in Google when ready to buy.

What is so important about your Google+ profile? It associates your face (from that fab photo you now have) with content you create online. There is all kinds of data that suggests that people who have their photo associated with their online content will get noticed and have higher click through rates. For more details and step-by-step instructions describing how you can create your Google+ profile, check out this short but excellent blog post here.

Suggestion #4: Create a profile in Meetup

Even if you are an occasional or casual participant in Meetups, do yourself an online favor and create a complete profile. What is Meetup? You know what Meetup is…that nifty online service that (as noted on the Meetup website) ‘makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or find one of the thousands already meeting up face-to-face.’

Why should you create a profile in Meetup when you only go to that (fill in your favorite activity here) Meetup once or twice a quarter? Backlinks baby, backlinks! Your Meetup profile, like YELP, Linkedin, Google+ and Twitter, will link back to your website and help to reinforce your amazing online presence. Check out this short but zippy article by Phil Buckley, SEO ninja, for the low down on reasons to have a complete Meetup profile.

There you have it, people! Four rock solid suggestions to help you get referrals for your business:
1. get a fabulous photo of yourself looking right at the camera lens (sassy haircut optional)
2. create a YELP profile
3. create a Google+ profile and follow the steps to Google authorship
4. create a Meetup profile

I look forward to seeing you online and, if you live/work in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, seeing you in person, too! What tips do you have to share to get referrals for your business?