What does a reference account do for you? A top notch reference will spend time with your prospects explaining, and often demonstrating, how you and your products solved their specific problem. They're able to also explain the unique ways that their company implemented your products, the processes they followed, and also the resources they utilized for their project. They typically share what worked for them with their real-world situation. This helps your prospect to better realize and appreciate the way your solution can help them solve their problem.
Happy customers are glad to help. Once you have invested some time and provided demonstrable value to your customers, they will likely reciprocate to not only assist you, but they'll also take pride in how they solved their problem and will want to share their success by telling others both in and out of their company.
The effective utilization of references as part of your sales strategy will provide numerous benefits including:
A far more efficient and cheaper approach than traditional sales methods. Utilizing positive referrals is definitely an invaluable tool that will help you increase your sales, particularly when compared to other more complex, time consuming, and expensive methods such as cold calling, product trials, or advertising.
Providing instant credibility for you and your company. Getting your prospect to talk to or meet with your reference account verifies the solution you are offering with real life and practical examples.
Validation of what has worked for others. Many organizations have common problems and challenges. Your prospects will want to understand how others have addressed and solved the very same issues in order to avoid reinventing the wheel.
Addressing your prospects internal purchasing requirements. Many businesses will have to meet with or speak to several other organizations that have implemented the same product or solution before they make a purchase, in order to mitigate their risk.
As you can see, by building your reference account base, you'll be able to significantly increase your future sales by leveraging your past successes with very powerful referrals from your happy customers.
