Your customers are your biggest asset. In addition to ensuring that you remain in business, your customer base is essential to your overall marketing and advertising campaign.

A happy customer is a customer who is willing to refer business to you. In fact, word-of-mouth is one of the most effective and popular ways of getting new business. You can ensure your customers send you more business consistently if you follow a few simple steps:

Provide superior customer service

With good customer service lacking in so many businesses today, if you provide superior customer service, you are going to stand apart from and above the competition. Your customers are going to appreciate that you take the time to listen to them, that you solve problems quickly, and that you genuinely care about them as customers.

In addition to ensuring that your current customers continue to do business with you, they're going to refer others to your business because they are satisfied with your customer service.

Offer a top notch product and/or service

If you offer a top notch product or service that offers value and benefit your customers, they're naturally going to be willing to recommend your business to friends, family, and acquaintances.

Treat your customers well

Customers want to be treated well. They want to know that you appreciate their business, so always ensure that you treat your customers well by thanking them for their business, asking for their feedback, and addressing any problems or concerns they have in a timely manner.

Treating your customers well also means ensuring that your employees treat them well by offering to help them, and by always addressing them in a polite manner.

Ask your customers to refer business to you

Sometimes getting customers to send you more business is as easy as asking them to refer their friends, family, and coworkers to you. Satisfied customers will generally have no problem spreading the word about your product or service. All you have to do is ask.

Offer discounts or specials for those who refer business

While it's not a necessity to reward your customers for referring business to you, it is a strong incentive for them to continue to send business your way. You might offer a discount on your product or service every time a customer refers someone to your business. You might also offer a free product to those who send business your way.

Or, you may want to come up with a more creative way to reward your customers for referring new customers to you. The key is to reward your customers in some way.

Thank customers for their referrals

When a customer refers a new customer to you, take the time to thank that customer. You can send a handwritten note or call the customer. Whatever method you choose, just make sure that you thank the customer for his referral. Showing your gratitude will also help ensure that that customer continues to send new customers to your business.