90% of Idaho Farm Bureau’s new customers hear about us through friends and family. As a way to say thank you for these word-of-mouth referrals, the "Refer A Friend, Get A Gift" customer rewards program was launched in January, 2010.

 

Since then, over 25,000 gift cards have been sent to people who have referred our UnMatched customer service, and over 20% of all new business written is tied to the program.

 

“The program took off so quickly that within just a few weeks after launch, processing referrals was almost a full-time job,” says Mike Myers, Director of Corporate Marketing. “But suggestions from the field as the program matured helped streamline referral processing. The incorporation of the program into CRM will also reduce turnaround time significantly.”

 

One suggestion from the field during the program’s planning phase was to give away a 42” flat-panel LCD TV as the quarterly drawing prize. “We changed that to the $500 prize just before launch,” Mike says. “Other than that change and the processing tweaks, the program is the same now as it was when it was put together in December, 2009.”

 

Even when compared with marketing channels like email, social media, trade shows, and events, the referral program still ranks as a high-quality growth channel for agents.

 

Kyle Jeppesen, an Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance agent in St. Anthony for 38 years, says, “I’m a big believer in our referral program. It’s helped me cultivate lots of centers of influence. If someone is referred to me by someone they trust, the referral doesn’t care if I’m $200 to $300 more than the competition. I can still write the business because of the referral. I think a lot of agents aren’t taking advantage of the referral program like they could and they’re hurting themselves. The $25 gift card makes a difference. If it helps a couple go out to dinner one night, they’re going to remember you and appreciate the sentiment. You’re missing the boat if you’re not using the program and sending the cards.”

 

Rookie agent Andrew Meyer echoes Kyle’s sentiments. “The program absolutely seems to help build relationships with referral sources,” Meyer says. “It’s also nice because most companies wouldn’t pay for this. The agents would normally have to pay for this kind of program themselves.”

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"From a corporate marketing perspective," Mike adds, "the referral program can help improve current customer retention, and raise brand awareness among non-customer segments."

 

To mark the program’s tenth anniversary, the "Refer A Friend, Get A Gift" marketing materials have been updated with a new look. New forms, posters, and other promotional materials – shown above – will be available soon.

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MARKETING TOOLS