You’ve heard people talk about word-of-mouth and referral marketing and you probably understand the value of an authentic recommendation from a loyal customer. For example, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know directly. But what does referral automation really mean? How does it work and why is referral marketing technology critical to building, optimizing, and scaling these programs in a way that drives revenue?

Diversity |diˈvərsitē, dī-| noun: a range of different things. How do you consume content? Do you prefer reading? Listening? Watching? In today’s digital world, it’s more important than ever to have something for everyone. Whether that’s a blog, eBook, infographic, video, case study, or podcast, your prospects have different preferences for their journey through the sales funnel. So, how do you turn your content marketing plan into a well-oiled, diverse machine?

As one of the world’s oldest market research firms, Nielsen’s Harris Poll Online has “analyzed every aspect of American life.” From consumer habits to television viewership to politics, Harris Poll is the gold-standard for conducting research. For instance, did you know that adults who were read to daily, or at least weekly, are more likely to report six-figure incomes? Harris Poll helps to answer the questions that we didn’t know we needed to know. So, when the opportunity arose in early 2016 ...

The situation is a familiar one. Your email inbox begins to fill up with emails that read “Labor Day Sale!” and suddenly you’re typing in the coupon code LBDAY16 for 20 percent off your purchase. Chances are, if you manage an eCommerce shop, your customers have also used vouchers or coupon codes at some point to make a purchase. It’s a great way to capture first time-buyers and bring back your most loyal advocates for repeat purchases.

Word-of-mouth drives billions of dollars in sales every year, and the holiday sales season presents a huge opportunity for innovative companies to empower their happy customers to help them to build brand preference and hit revenue goals.

With word-of-mouth (WOM) driving billions of dollars in sales every year, it's more important than ever for companies to focus on WOM and referral marketing efforts. Here are 8 stats about word-of-mouth marketing that you need to know right now.