In almost every industry, referrals are the gold standard of customer acquisition. Research has repeatedly shown that referred leads close faster, buy more, and stay longer — all with significantly less effort and at a much lower CPA than non-referred prospects. A University of Pennsylvania study[1] found that referred customers are more loyal and profitable — by a 16% margin — than their non-referred counterparts.

It's that time of year - a time to review and reflect on the year behind us, while planning and strategizing for the one ahead. 

For centuries, word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM) has influenced purchasing decisions on everything from buying a new car to restaurant recommendations to software vendors. It’s no coincidence that you and your network share a few of the same favorite things. Who doesn’t love hearing about a great product or service from a trustworthy source? 

When 90% of consumers believe an online review is more compelling than input from a salesperson1, it's important to take advantage of reviews when it comes to your brand's holiday strategy.

With so many online retailers keeping their eye on this holiday season, the competition is likely to be fiercer than ever. Online spending growth is expected to outpace brick-and-mortar expenditures, but many online retailers are still struggling. Whilst eCommerce sales, revenue, and audiences are poised to grow, success isn’t guaranteed and the companies who have done their due diligence to prepare will see their hard work pay off.

Before we dive into this blog post, we have some HUGE news to share: Ambassador has been acquired by West Corporation! via GIPHY We are honored to be partnering with such an established organization. West products and services extend to the customers of most of the Fortune 500. West is owned by Apollo Group, the world’s largest — and arguably most successful — private equity fund.

Whether your referral program just launched or is currently running, there are always ways to drive engagement with your ambassadors. With this in mind, we reached out to our Success Coaches to learn best practices for managing a client referral program. From brands that are developing their first campaigns to seasoned vets that are optimizing a well-oiled referral machine, we asked the pros to share their secrets when it comes to successfully integrating referral programs into the overall ...