Once upon a time in America every small business owner focused their sales strategy on attracting their local community - a kind of all business is local theme. The internet has changed all that as businesses can now market inexpensively to the world. However, women entrepreneurs have always known that the friends and family concept can drive sales most successfully. 
Seriously, women entrepreneurs aren't the only business owners to love friends and family, corporate America loves them too!
Let's explore the reasons behind this supposedly new phenomenon in advertising.
Why do retail marketers offer friends and family deals? The truth is anyone can fall under the category of friends and family. I don't need to know you or be related to you in order to hand you my friends and family coupon to use. I promise no one will check your birth certificate or your Facebook page to determine whether or not we really know each other.
The friends and family sale is just another way to ask customers for referrals. Remember those? Referrals are what expand your sales. Referrals are often what too many small business owners are afraid to ask for because what they truly mean is that your customer must acclaim you and your business. Therefore, it is more comfortable for an owner to suggest that the customer's friends and family can get a deal if they give the business a try.
Women entrepreneurs instinctively understand this concept because they know that women are more likely to bring their friends and sometimes their family along when they shop. Simply stated, have you ever noticed how women call other women to come along when they shop? Let's face it, men don't call another man and suggest a shopping outing. Men shop only when absolutely necessary and they are in and out as fast as possible. Women, on the other hand, like to get another woman's opinion on their purchase. Let me be clear here that this is NOT because women do not respect their own opinion on their purchases it is just a nice way to bond with other women.
Women also enjoy bringing the family along when they make purchases. Of course, this depends on the age and sex of family members, but in some circumstances family members are encouraged to come along for the shopping experience.
I'm sure as you read this blog you believe that this concept only applies to retail sales, but let me tell you why this strategy works with almost every business. Service businesses, even more than retail businesses, want referrals to increase their sales. Every referral means that a customer has already initiated the sales process with a new prospect for your business. The prospect is half way through the sales cycle when (s)he talks with you. No one respects the opinion of a customer more than their friends and family. Can you imagine how your sales would skyrocket if all your customers encourage their friends and family to do business with you?
Let me give you some examples of all the businesses where this works: medical, real estate, lawyers (particularly real estate and estate planning), financial (brokers, banks, financial planning and insurance), SEO firms, marketing and communications firms. Did I leave your business out?
If so, think right now how you could offer a friends and family discount to your customers. Or strategize a workshop or seminar offering education to your customers and ask them to invite friends and family at no cost.
The beauty of friends and family is their relationship to you the businesswoman's (or man's) customer. Nothing says business loyalty more than the referral of a friend or family member from your client.
Build your business starting today by focusing on referrals from customers. They will help you make the sale every time with friends and family and even a few strangers.
