Do Your Cleaning Clients Consider You "Referrable"?

In a recent survey at MyHouseCleaningBiz.com, 50% of the respondents said that most of their business came from referrals and word of mouth. Yet when I talk to cleaning business owners, most don't have a "system" for getting referrals. So how are they doing it? They're simply more "referrable".

What qualities should you possess to become more referrable? Here are the top four:

1. Trustworthy. People do business with people they trust. If you and your employees demonstrate trustworthiness to your clients, chances are they will refer you to their friends and family. They would never consider referring you if they didn't feel you were trustworthy.
2. Treat your employees as you treat your customers. We always tell our employees how important our customers are to us, but did you ever stop to consider that your employees treat your customers the way you treat THEM? Think about that the next time your behavior isn't what you'd like your customers to see. Chances are, your employees are mirroring your behavior to your customers.
3. Create "buzz" about your company. Companies that are "referrable" are good at generating buzz about their business, especially if it concerns great customer service. People who receive exceptional service and are rewarded with WOW moments, love to talk about it. So what are you doing to WOW your customers?
4. Giver's gain philosophy. When networking, stop thinking about what you can sell or how many customers you can gain by attending this function. Instead, focus on what you can do to help other people - what can you GIVE them to help their business? People who live by this philosophy have all the referrals they can handle.