Welcome to the Referential Blog!

As a team of consultants embedded in dozens of unique customer advocacy programs at any given moment, Referential is constantly exploring, implementing, and improving on strategies and best practices.

Join us as we discuss the latest tips, tricks, and techniques in customer advocacy and customer marketing.

See a topic you’d like to learn about in greater detail? Contact us! We’d love to start a conversation.

Customer Marketing and Advocacy Blog | Referential Inc.
Turning Fans into Fuel: Metrics to Get Leadership Fired Up About Customer Advocacy 
Turning Fans into Fuel: Metrics to Get Leadership Fired Up About Customer Advocacy 

Customer advocacy programs are powerful growth drivers—but to secure leadership buy-in, you need more than just enthusiasm. In this blog, you can expect to learn which metrics will resonate with leadership and how to use them to justify your program’s value.

From Metrics to Community: The 2025 Advocacy Landscape
From Metrics to Community: The 2025 Advocacy Landscape

In 2025, expect increased emphasis on data-backed metrics to justify program value, the blending of advocacy and marketing roles, and the rise of personalized outreach powered by AI. Community-building initiatives, enhanced employee advocacy, and innovative formats like video storytelling will redefine how businesses engage advocates. These trends highlight advocacy as a business-critical strategy that fosters deeper connections, drives growth, and extends customer lifespans.

The Road to Advocacy Program Optimization
The Road to Advocacy Program Optimization

Jennifer Doyon, a Principal at Referential, shares insights from her 15 years in customer advocacy. In this Q&A, she discusses the key considerations when selecting a Reference Management System (RMS) or Customer Advocacy Platform (CAP), and how Referential helps clients justify their advocacy program budgets, optimize platform performance, and implement best practices.

Looking for something specific?

Metrics and Reporting Denise Taylor, Senior Advocacy Consultant Metrics and Reporting Denise Taylor, Senior Advocacy Consultant

Employee Highlight: A Look Inside the Numbers Is All You Need

The best way for a customer advocacy program to survive long-term is to establish metrics and reporting functions early on that prove – to stakeholders and upper management – the value of the program, both at a high-level and in-depth. Read through this Q&A with Sr Advocacy Consultant Denise Taylor to learn more!

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Metrics and Reporting, Data Management Emily Feber, CEO Metrics and Reporting, Data Management Emily Feber, CEO

Metrics to Help With Budget Justification

One of the most meaningful and powerful bi-annual metrics that we have in our portfolio, Client Lifetime Total Revenue and Longevity (CLTR-L) was developed to evaluate the dollar value of a client relationship over the length of the contract, and the longevity of the relationship. This metric enables us to quantifiably contrast the average value of active advocates against the average value of non-advocates. From this, we can help our clients demonstrate the tangible business impact that active advocates are making on just their part of the overall revenue.

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Program Management, Best Practices, Meet the Team, Team Culture, Fulfillment, Recruitment, Customer Communities Barbara Leavy, Senior Advocacy Consultant Program Management, Best Practices, Meet the Team, Team Culture, Fulfillment, Recruitment, Customer Communities Barbara Leavy, Senior Advocacy Consultant

Employee Highlight: Advocacy Program Management at a Fortune 500 Company

This blog features a Q&A with Senior Advocacy Consultant Barbara Leavy, in which she speaks about her experience managing the advocacy program at a fortune 500 company. Topics include navigating acquisitions, setting client expectations, the challenges of massive product portfolios and more!

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Data Management, Metrics and Reporting, Program Management Barbara Leavy, Senior Advocacy Consultant Data Management, Metrics and Reporting, Program Management Barbara Leavy, Senior Advocacy Consultant

Customer Advocacy Program Metrics: How to Adapt Reporting to Changing Business Priorities

How do you know when it’s time to adapt your metrics strategy, and how do you figure out which new accomplishments to report on? Read on for tips and examples of shifting company priorities that may signal it’s time to adapt your metrics and reporting strategy.

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