Referral marketing for freelancers
How cross-promotions via Slack complement your marketing mix
You have probably heard of referral marketing. How does it work in general? You know someone, are convinced of their performance, and then recommend them. A typical example is a move to a new city. You are looking for a hairdresser, a doctor, or an electrician and ask your new neighbors or friends if they can recommend someone to you.
Referral networks
The whole thing also exists more professionally, in the form of referral networks. I have been self-employed for several years and have therefore been interested in such networks.
In Germany, but not only here, the BNI, for example, is very well known and widespread. The idea is the following: There are local groups (“chapters”) with 20–60 members each, in which different fields (branches) are represented. An absolute exclusivity applies to one’s area of expertise to not compete with each other. The goal of membership is to recommend as many of the entrepreneurs represented in the chapter as possible. The chapter meets once a week (usually 06:30–08:30 a.m., before work). There everybody has one minute to present his work / his unique selling proposition and contact wishes. Besides, one company gets the possibility of a longer (ten minutes) presentation per meeting…
