![[PLAYBOOK] From Message to Referral: The Role of Consistency in Word of Mouth Artwork](https://www.buzzsprout.com/rails/active_storage/representations/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBCRk9NOEFjPSIsImV4cCI6bnVsbCwicHVyIjoiYmxvYl9pZCJ9fQ==--d64dfd483499853b2bcc4c7c1bf53bf6515b1c01/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaDdDVG9MWm05eWJXRjBPZ2hxY0djNkUzSmxjMmw2WlY5MGIxOW1hV3hzV3docEFsZ0NhUUpZQW5zR09nbGpjbTl3T2d0alpXNTBjbVU2Q25OaGRtVnlld1k2REhGMVlXeHBkSGxwUVRvUVkyOXNiM1Z5YzNCaFkyVkpJZ2x6Y21kaUJqb0dSVlE9IiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJ2YXJpYXRpb24ifX0=--1924d851274c06c8fa0acdfeffb43489fc4a7fcc/Consistency%20Ep%20-%20Cover%20Art.png)
The Snoball Effect
The Snoball Effect includes 2 separate series:
1. Local Business Series - We help one small business boost their marketing over 3 months.
2. Marketing Playbook Series - We invite Sales and Marketing experts to offer tips and advice to those struggling to jumpstart their marketing and sales operations.
You know those marketing tips that are easier said than done? We go do them in real life.
We focus an entire 10-episode season on boosting a single small business with a $0 marketing budget. We'll use enterprise-level tools — like Snoball — to carry out audacious marketing plans and strategies over 3 months.
We'll see if it works out.
We'll use our network to attract business professionals to provide insights and aid our marketing efforts.
Our purpose is to prove the effectiveness of 1) referrals, reviews, and reputation marketing and 2) investing time into branding/growth strategies.
For our first season, we're growing a barber shop with plans to hire 2 new barbers.
We are going to fill the new hires' schedules with net new customers via a robust referral marketing plan and the use of an enterprise-level tool, Snoball.
We will also identify any additional business goals related to revenue or reputation growth and knock those out of the park.
The Snoball Effect
[PLAYBOOK] From Message to Referral: The Role of Consistency in Word of Mouth
In this episode of The Snoball Effect podcast, Todd Jensen, the CMO of Snoball, highlights the importance of consistency in referral marketing, particularly for home service companies.
Todd explains that a single outreach is rarely enough to generate referrals; instead, building relationships over time through consistent communication is key.
He emphasizes that around 60% of referrals occur after the initial connection, and it often takes more than two interactions to encourage customers to send their first referral.
This means businesses need to shift their mindset to viewing referral requests as part of an ongoing conversation rather than a one-time transaction. Todd provides a unique perspective by recommending businesses ask for referrals early in their interactions with customers.
This approach allows companies to immediately gauge customer sentiment and take corrective action if needed.
For example, a customer who declines to provide a referral and mentions unresolved issues becomes an opportunity to address those concerns.
On the other hand, customers who respond positively but can’t think of a referral right away can be nurtured through ongoing communication, ensuring the brand stays top of mind for future opportunities.
The episode also touches on common mistakes businesses make in their referral programs.
Todd cautions against "one and done" messaging, where companies send mass referral requests sporadically.
He argues that this approach feels impersonal and can alienate customers. Instead, he advocates for a more deliberate, managed referral program that engages customers consistently, ensuring that the brand is part of their natural conversations and interactions over time.
Todd concludes by underscoring the importance of taking ownership of the referral program rather than offloading it to sales teams or technicians, who may lack the capacity to nurture these relationships effectively.
Follow and chime in on LinkedIn.
Do you know a small business that would love to get the snowball rolling or an expert that can come on the pod and help us along the way? Email chadz@snoball.com or message us on LinkedIn to get involved.
