Remarkable Equals Referrable
What do you do that’s worthy of mention to someone else?
One thing we could all use more of in the business world is referrals. There’s nothing better than having a happy client or people who know you sing your praises to another potential customer or partner. Think about the money and effort you might otherwise spend on sales and marketing efforts to find customers who are a perfect fit. That’s why a great referral is priceless.
But that begs the question of how to gain referrals consistently. One answer is that you need to do something remarkable.
Celebrating Purple Cows
A simple definition of “remarkable” refers to something worthy of remark. In other words, what makes you or your business unusual or stand out in some way that someone wants to tell someone else about it?
Seth Godin refers to this as the “Purple Cow” concept. While you probably wouldn’t tell anyone else about a regular cow you saw along the road, you would probably take out your phone, snap a picture of a purple cow, and then send it to your friends.
This concept is a powerful clue for anyone wondering how to gain referrals in a meaningful and lasting way. Make people want to talk about you.
But how do you incorporate something like that into your business so that it starts to generate referrals?
Examples of the Remarkable
The retailer CVS has figured this out. Conduct a simple search on TikTok’s social media site for CVS receipts (#CVS #receipts), and you’ll see what I mean. There are endless videos of people laughing at the arm’s-length receipts they receive when buying just one or two items.
While I won’t weigh in on the environmental impact of printing out all that paper, it’s become a practice that people want to share with others. It makes CVS remarkable.
Another example is DoubleTree Hotels. They’re a decent hotel chain, but remarkably, you’re offered warm chocolate chip cookies whenever you check in. After traveling all day or being away from home, giving someone a cookie goes a long way—and it doesn’t cost them much. It’s a small investment that pays off when the traveler tells their friends or coworkers about their great experience at the hotel.
I also find it interesting that one of the things that always made Southwest Airlines remarkable was that you couldn’t reserve seats. Sure, their prices were low, and some staff wore shorts. However, their unique approach to seat assignments made them remarkable. Seeing people line up early for a flight to grab their first choice always made a scene.
But now that Southwest is ditching that approach to become like every other airline, it makes you wonder if they’ll remain remarkable in the future.
How to Gain Referrals by Being RemarkableIf you’re wondering how to gain referrals that truly move the needle for your business, the answer lies in being intentionally remarkable.
What could you do that’s on par with long receipts and warm cookies?
This challenge is at the forefront of my mind, as I’m interested in expanding the audience for my podcast. I’d wager that of the podcasts you listen to regularly, many, if not most, of them were referred to you by someone else. And when that person made the referral, they pointed to a specific aspect of the podcast that made it remarkable.
So, when it comes to your business, think about what might make it remarkable and worthy of a referral. Take an objective look at your products or services—or even how you present them—and consider what someone might want to tell others about.
The Takeaway
What’s that one thing someone would want to tell someone else about that would help encourage them to become your customer, too?
If you can find that one thing and build it into your business model, you’ll discover how to gain referrals more naturally and sustainably than any paid advertising campaign could offer.
Make it shareable. Make it memorable. Above all—make it remarkable.
