INNOVATION AND CHALLENGES OF REFERENCE MARKETING IN TIMES OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Abstract

Referral marketing (RM) has emerged as an effective strategy for increasing customers, sales, and business positioning through the recommendation of products or services by satisfied clients, collaborators, or contact networks. This article presents a state-of-the-art review of RM, complemented by a qualitative analysis based on interviews with experts and company collaborators who have successfully implemented this methodology. Common practices, key steps for implementation, critical success factors, and risks to be avoided were identified. The findings reveal that RM is typically led by executives, sales staff, and commercial personnel, and is primarily motivated by business growth and the acquisition of new customers. Based on the shared experiences, a strategic framework is proposed to offer practical guidelines for companies that have not yet adopted RM to implement it effectively. In addition, local practices are contrasted with global trends, such as the digitalization of RM and its integration with social media, CRM tools, and loyalty strategies. The study concludes that while RM presents challenges—such as managing credibility in digital environments—its strategic implementation, adapted to the specific business context, enables the development of sustainable competitive advantages. This research contributes to the applied knowledge of referral marketing and offers recommendations to strengthen its adoption in emerging organizational contexts.