How to Start an Appliance Repair Referral Program [+Tools]

Referral statistics show that 77% of consumers are more inclined to make a purchase when they hear about a business from friends or family. Offering rewards or incentives to your satisfied appliance service clients for referring new customers can significantly enhance brand awareness and lead to increased sales conversions. And referred customers are more likely to come back to you if they need another appliance repaired or installed down the line.

By the end of this article, you’ll gain a better understanding of the details involved in establishing a successful appliance repair referral program.

What is an appliance repair referral program?  

An appliance repair referral program is a marketing strategy designed to reward your past clients for recommending your appliance repair and installation services to their friends, family members, neighbors, and colleagues. When previous and current customers refer new clients, they’ll start earning incentives like cash or gift cards..

The most effective appliance repair referral programs automate the tracking of referrals. This automation provides valuable insights into the volume of business generated from referrals and the overall performance of your program. Managing this process is much simpler than a manual system, where you would have to keep track of referrals yourself based solely on names provided by customers.

Do you also offer HVAC services? If so, check out our HVAC referral program article.

Why start an appliance repair referral program?

Appliance repair companies that focus on generating referrals often find success through high-quality leads that are more likely to convert into sales.

Referrals not only enhance your business’s sales performance but also reflect the growing trust in your brand. They indicate that customers are pleased enough with your services to recommend you to their family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues.

Here are some additional reasons why referrals are essential:

Referrals serve as a dependable source for acquiring new leads and clients for your appliance repair services. Given that appliance repairs and installations are not frequently needed, having a trustworthy method for attracting new customers is crucial. Referrals tap into the satisfaction of your existing clients to create this channel. And existing clients will only refer relevant appliance repair leads – people who actually need a refrigerator, oven, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer repaired or installed.

People place a high level of trust in referrals – especially with appliance repair. People depend on their appliances for the key household tasks of cooking and cleaning, so they want a quick and quality repair or installation when an appliance fails. And appliance repairs and installations are a significant investment. This leads individuals to thoroughly research their options, often seeking recommendations from friends and family.

Research shows that people tend to trust recommendations from those close to them. A Nielsen survey found that 92% of potential customers prefer suggestions from friends and family over any form of advertising. When someone refers your appliance services, the person receiving the recommendation is more inclined to choose you.

Referral programs are also much more cost-effective than traditional advertising. They carry less risk since you only pay for referrals that lead to actual sales. According to a Forbes survey, 54% of respondents believe that referral programs have a lower cost-per-lead compared to other marketing channels.

In contrast to conventional marketing methods, referral marketing reduces customer acquisition costs (CAC) by relying on satisfied customers to promote your brand, ultimately benefiting your financial performance.

Are you ready for an appliance repair referral program?

Despite all the benefits, not every appliance repair business is ready for a referral program. Before you kick off your referral program, make sure you have these key elements ready to ensure its success:

• A solid group of satisfied customers who appreciate your work—preferably, some of them are already spreading the word about your services on their own.  
• An exceptional customer experience that people will want to share, from the initial service call all the way to the final check on the newly installed or repaired appliance. 
• A strong level of customer satisfaction, reflected in positive ratings from reviews.  
• A dedicated website to direct referred leads to.  

Referral software for appliance businesses [Free Tools]

These referral tools for appliance businesses are a free and easy way to help you start your referral program.

Want a fully automated referral program for your appliance repair business? Run your referral program with us at Referral Rock. Find out how we can build your program with you (and tailor it to your unique needs)

Appliance repair referral program tips

To achieve success with your referral program, the way you implement it is crucial. By following these best practices, you can achieve the desired outcomes:

Carefully choose your rewards  

Referral rewards are essential for a thriving referral program. Before deciding on the type of reward, it’s important to identify who will be receiving it. Will it be the referrer (the advocate), the referred friend, or both?

Offering rewards to both parties – known as a double-sided reward – not only encourages more referrals but also incentivizes the referred friends to choose your services. This approach tends to be more effective than providing rewards to just one side. It’s all about psychology. People want to know what’s in it for them, but they also don’t want to feel like they’re “selling out” their peers just to get a reward of their own.

Since appliance services are typically significant investments, the reward for your advocate should correspond to the value of the service they helped secure. Options like cash, gift cards to other businesses, and tangible gifts make excellent rewards for advocates. (It’s best to avoid rewards related to your business, as they likely won’t need other appliance installations or repairs in the near future.) Pay it out when the friend pays for the services, and consider providing larger rewards for successful referrals that lead to higher-priced services.

Rewards for the referred friend should be directly tied back to your services in order to encourage the person to seek those services. Discounts, credits toward the project, and cash back after the project is paid for are great rewards for the referred friend. 

Ask at the right times

One of the most effective ways to gain referrals is simply to ask for them. This should be a straightforward task, especially if you’ve been in regular communication with your client throughout their project, fostering a friendly rapport.

Consider reaching out for referrals when your clients are at their happiest and you’re fresh in their minds, such as when:

• You’ve successfully finished a repair or install project
• They’ve left you a glowing review
• They’ve made a positive comment about your work on social media
• They’ve given you excellent feedback in person
• You’re sending the invoice for a project you know they were pleased with
• It’s the first or second anniversary of a project that went smoothly
• You’re checking in for a warranty follow-up and they mention their appliance is performing well
• You’re aware they’ve already recommended you informally

Besides asking clients, you might also ask business owners and professionals in your service area for referrals. Think real estate agents and professionals at other non-competing businesses serving homeowners.

Make sharing super-easy

Make sure your referral process is user-friendly for both current and former customers. They should be able to easily access the program and share it with their friends with just a few clicks or taps.

With Referral Rock’s One Click Access links, individuals can quickly start promoting your business. These links allow them to join the program automatically, so there’s no need for sign-ups or filling out forms. All they need to do is provide a few details about their friend’s contact information.

Don’t forget to include One Click Access links in all your promotional emails about the referral program. This should cover newsletters and transactional emails, not just those that are specifically aimed at promoting the referral program.

And once people are on the referral page, sharing should be straightforward.

• Craft a catchy headline that clearly states what you want them to do (share) and what they’ll gain from it (the reward).
• Provide a brief overview of the program, outlining 3-4 simple steps needed to earn rewards. 
• Include a prominent call-to-action (CTA) button to encourage sharing. 
• Offer various sharing options based on how customers already share with friends. This should include email and social media sharing options, as well as a referral link that they can easily copy and distribute anywhere.
• If they have further questions, direct them to an FAQ page.

Promote, promote, promote

You’ve invested a lot of time and energy into creating your referral program, but all that hard work won’t pay off if your customers aren’t aware of it! To drive new sales, it’s essential to get the word out about your program. Here are some great ways to promote it:

• On your website: Think about adding a striking hero image or banner for increased visibility, along with buttons in both the top and bottom menus.  
• Through mass emails dedicated to your program, sent to all your past and current clients (we recommend doing this monthly to quarterly).  
• By sharing engaging posts on social media.  
• During phone chats with clients, especially when they mention their satisfaction with your service.  
• In-person after services are complete – have repair technicians hand out cards with a QR code link to your program.
• In personalized referral emails to your most enthusiastic customers.  
• In newsletters, confirmation emails, invoices, and other communications that aren’t solely about your referral program.  
• In your email signatures and social media bios.  

Reach out with a personal message to the lead 

The note that the referred individual receives is often their first encounter with your business, so it’s crucial to create a positive impression. 

To make things easier for the referrer, consider preparing the message ahead of time, but ensure it has a warm and friendly tone, so it sounds like a note from a friend rather than a corporate communication.

No matter how you decide to craft the message, highlight the benefits the friend will gain from your services, as well as the unique features of those services. Additionally, include a strong call-to-action to encourage the friend to take the next step.

And ensure there’s a smooth transition from the message to the  friendlanding page. Reiterate the offer on that page and mention the name of the person who referred them, making them feel special and avoiding any confusion.

Show your appreciation

Expressing gratitude to customers for their referrals not only makes them feel valued but also motivates them to refer more people. Make it a practice to send a handwritten thank-you note whenever a referral leads to a new client. You might also consider publicly recognizing their support on your social media platforms.

When customers see that their referrals are appreciated, it fosters goodwill and strengthens their loyalty. Along with any rewards they may receive, a heartfelt ‘thank you’ can significantly encourage them to keep bringing new clients your way.

Select the best software

Choosing the ideal referral software is crucial for the success of your referral program. The right software simplifies the setup and automates management tasks. By generating referral links, you can easily track the source of each referral and promptly reward those that lead to successful conversions. Moreover, the software gathers valuable data that helps you assess your program’s performance and make improvements for better outcomes.

Referral Rock is a standout option for anyone looking for exceptional referral tracking, sharing, and engagement features, along with concierge onboarding that requires no technical skills.

With Referral Rock, you can:

• Easily track referrals: Each participant gets a unique referral link, enabling you to identify the origin of every referral. Customers can also monitor their own referrals through customized dashboards.
• Utilize automation: Keep your customers engaged with automated promotional emails and simplify sharing with passwordless links.
• Customize and streamline rewards: Design any reward system you want, including tiered and multi-step rewards, and automate the payout process.
• Integrate with essential tools: Seamlessly connect Referral Rock with over 50 different tools, including your CRM.
• Gather program insights: Quickly evaluate your program’s performance and make data-driven improvements.
• Launch quickly: With Referral Rock, you can kick off your program in just a few days, with expert assistance available at every step.

Start your own appliance repair referral program

Appliance repair referral programs can be a fantastic way to attract new clients and expand your business. By harnessing the power of word-of-mouth marketing and encouraging your existing clients to share your services with their friends and colleagues, you can establish a dependable acquisition channel that often proves to be more cost-effective than traditional advertising. Be sure to pick the right rewards, promote regularly, and select a software that streamlines the process.