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.

A 2015 study by the Pew Research Center found that 64% of American adults own a smartphone — an increase of nearly 30% in merely four years. And, though not terribly surprising, the study also found that smartphone ownership is especially high among young Americans and those with high income and education levels (the traditional sweet spots for marketers).