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Referrals
If you are a customer who would like to refer another business owner to The Immediate Resource, use this Referral Form.
If you are a business who has been referred to The Immediate Resource, please call the New Customer Manager at 800-966-5517 or use this application for a new account. Please note that there is a box called, Referrals, where you can provide us with the information about who referred you.
Here are the Frequently Asked Questions about referrals.
Use these as Tips for Successful Referrals.
Recommend another business owner to
The Immediate Resource!
1.
What is a referral?
2. Why should I refer another business to
The Immediate Resource?
3.
Who should you refer?
4. What if I sell mainly on the Internet,
such that my customers are women who shop online?
5. What if I sell mainly at shows and
conventions?
6. What information do I give the shop or
boutique?
7. What information should I keep about
the referral?
8. What do I do to follow up on the
referral?
9. Should I call the business to follow up
after I make a referral?
10. What happens to my referrals?
11. What happens if the referral becomes a new customer but forgets who referred her?
12. Is there an incentive for the person being referred to remember my name?
13. What is the 'thank you gift' for making a referral who becomes a new customer?
14. What happens if someone uses my name
when I did not make a referral?
15. How do I qualify for the 'thank you
gift' for referrals who become new customers?
1.
What is a referral?
When you meet someone who operates a
business selling women's clothing, do you talk shop? If she carries
merchandise in the categories that The Immediate Resource sells, do you
ever consider telling her about us? When you suggest that she contacts
your rep or go online to see The Immediate Resource website, that is a
referral. In other words, you are recommending that she consider doing
business with us.
2. Why should I
refer another business to The Immediate Resource?
Referrals are important to our
business, just as they are important to your business. They are our
best source of new business.
We appreciate your referrals. They
help keep our business strong. And since we are an important source of
wholesale merchandise for you, your referrals to us help keep your
wholesale source strong.
As a thank you for your referrals, we
offer you a "thank you gift" During 2010, the "thank you gift" is a
bonus redeemable in merchandise from our current stock. Ask your rep
for details.
How do I qualify for the "thank you
gift" for referrals who become new customers?
The person you referred must become a
qualified new customer and complete at least one purchase at the
minimum $500 first order. In addition, we must be able to verify that
you referred her.
3.
Who should you refer?
In your local market area:
Only refer businesses that sell a
different category of merchandise than you sell. For example, if you
sell mainly classic church suits and hats, don't refer your competitor
who also sells classic church suits and hats. But across town, there is
a bridal shop. If she sells bridal and wedding supplies, she would be a
good referral for The Immediate Resource special occasion merchandise.
Outside your local market area:
What if you are outside your local
market area or in another town? That's the perfect place to find
businesses that you can refer to The Immediate Resource.
4. What if I sell mainly on
the Internet, such that my customers are women who shop online?
Then, don't refer another business
that sells online. But if you are visiting another town, look for shops
that cater to women who only shop in boutiques. There are still lots of
women who prefer to shop in person.
5. What if I sell
mainly at shows and conventions?
No matter how you sell, don't refer
another business that would compete with you. If there is another
seller at the show, don't refer your competitor. If there is a woman
who attends the convention, a woman has a business in her hometown but
doesn't not sell at the convention, ask lots of questions. Get to know
her. She might be a good referral. But if you sense that she is asking
questions in order to start selling at the convention, then this would
not be a good referral for you.
Look for shops in the towns and
cities you visit. If a shop doesn't compete with you at the show or
convention, that shop might make a good referral. Since most businesses
specialize, either she serves local customers in a shop or she travels
to shows and conventions, you can find referrals in the towns and
cities you are visit.
6. What information
do I give the shop or boutique?
Use your business card, write the
name "The Immediate Resource" on the back of your card. Write your
rep's name on your card, too. Tell her to call your rep, or to go The
Immediate Resource website.
7. What information
should I keep about the referral?
Take one of her business cards. Note
the date on the back. Write her name on the card, too. Some cards only
have a business name, so her name is important.
8. What do I do to
follow up on the referral?
Send an email or call your rep to
give her the name of business that you have talked to. Your rep can
help follow up on the referral.
9. Should I call
the business to follow up after I make a referral?
Of course, that is a great idea.
Sending her an email or calling will help you stay in touch with
another business and helps you create a network of owners to share
ideas with. An email that provides the contact information for The
Immediate Resource is a simple way to follow up. But if you are in a
hurry or don't want to take the time to call or email, don't be
concerned about it. After all, it's your business that is your main
concern.
10. What happens to my
referrals?
If your rep has the information, she
will follow up with the business that you referred.
Otherwise, if the business you
referred makes a call or sends an application using the website, the
New Customer Manager will assist her. One important piece of
information is about the referral. Some business owners forget who
referred them to The Immediate Resource.
11. What happens
if the referral becomes a new customer but forgets who referred her?
That's a challenge. If we can't
verify that you made the referral, you don't get the "thank you gift".
So you have an interest in ensuring that we know whom you refer. If you
give the name of the person and her business name to your rep,
then it won't matter if the referral forgets your name when she speaks
to us.
12. Is there an
incentive for the person being referred to remember my name?
Yes, each of your referrals who
become a new customer will receive free shipping on her first completed
purchase of the minimum $500 first order. Free shipping applies to shipping addresses in the US. The New Customer Manager will explain the details.
13. What is the "thank
you gift" for making a referral who becomes a new customer?
To say thanks for your referrals, we
offer you a "thank you gift". The "thank you gift" is a bonus
redeemable in merchandise from our current stock. Ask your rep for
details.
14. What happens
if someone uses my name when I did not make a referral?
The New Customer Manager verifies the
referral by contacting you. If you did not make the referral, a follow
up call is made to the applicant. If it turns out that the applicant is
not a legitimate retailer, then the application is turned down.
15. How do I
qualify for the "thank you gift" for referrals who become new customers?
Once we have verified that you
referred her, the person you referred must become a qualified new
customer and complete her first purchase of the minimum $500 order. It's that simple.
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