#referral-marketing

#referral-marketing

For marketers yet to turn their attention to the extraordinary customer acquisition mechanic of earned growth, referral might be the last marketing channel to come to mind. For those already giving their customers a participating role in their brand's success, it's the last marketing channel they'd switch off. This was literally true for Lindsay Newell, head of UK marketing at Bloom & Wild, one of Europe's largest online florists.

Marketing generates attention, qualifies prospects, and creates excitement. But it doesn't matter how amazing your marketing campaign is-if someone tries your product and feels disrespected, encounters rudeness, or finds it doesn't live up to expectations, they won't come back, no matter how clever your next campaign is. Customer experience delivers on the promises marketing makes and creates continuity that lasts. Every touchpoint from pre-purchase to post-purchase provides evidence that people use to shape how they feel about you.

No marketing strategy can save a bad product, especially in the long run. "It starts with a great product," Houston said at Stanford. "You're not going to push a rock above a hill." Houston said that having a great product comes down to quickly solving a customer's problem. The sooner a new visitor can recognize that your product or service can solve a problem, the better.

Referral marketing is effective because 86% of users trust recommendations over ads, making it crucial for businesses to cultivate relationships with clients who will refer them.