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.

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Meet the Team Helen Feber, Managing Partner Meet the Team Helen Feber, Managing Partner

Meet the Referential Founders: Helen Feber

Perhaps one of the strongest driving forces behind Referential’s daily operations is Helen Feber, who also happens to be a Managing Partner alongside her husband and business partner, David Feber. She originally started the company in 1994, and from that point on the rest is history!

Helen built up her skill set and experience in customer advocacy after she “fell in” (as she puts it) to being a consultant after having left Hewlett Packard. Through a project she was asked to work on, she came to recognize the obvious lack of customers who would be able to talk about and provide insight on a product. And she credits that experience bringing her awareness to the absence of customer advocacy in so many corporations, and to the absolute necessity for these programs.

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Data Management, Metrics and Reporting Saravanan Sakthivel, Advocacy Consultant Data Management, Metrics and Reporting Saravanan Sakthivel, Advocacy Consultant

How to Create a Pivot Table in Excel

Pivot tables are one of Excel's most powerful Microsoft tools. A pivot table allows you to extract the significant data and trends from a large, detailed data set. When analyzing your customer advocacy program data, pivot tables can be excellent tools for efficiently gathering insights on your customer advocates and advocacy assets.

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Training and Certificates Ryan Quackenbush, Principal Training and Certificates Ryan Quackenbush, Principal

On-Demand ICCAP: A Perfect Pick-Me-Up for the Post-Pandemic Professional

Are you looking to build a database of active customer references but don’t know where to start? Are you having trouble determining the ‘what, which and how’ of metrics you should track? Are there more questions than answers? …Or are you looking for a real, in-depth refresher course to help polish your resume and knowledge base?

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Data Management, Technology Anonymous Data Management, Technology Anonymous

Best Practices for Integrating RO Innovation with Salesforce

Have you ever dived into fulfilling an urgent reference request only to spend the next precious minutes hopping back and forth between your CRM and reference management systems, verifying that you’re using the most up-to-date customer data to identify the best-matching reference? Having easy, seamless access to current, real-time data – like account ownership, product usage, customer location and contact titles – can make a world of difference in how efficiently you can hone in on an ideal match for a reference request.

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Company News Ryan Quackenbush, Principal Company News Ryan Quackenbush, Principal

Because a Team of Consultants is Better than One

Though each of our consultants dedicate their time and focus to the programs of specific clients, our team regularly exchanges tips and best practices with one another. As a result, we’re constantly building on our collective knowledge and enhancing our ability to serve the needs of different clients.

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Materials Creation Alex Feber; Manager, Creative Services Materials Creation Alex Feber; Manager, Creative Services

Capturing Customer Testimonials During a Pandemic

As the US slowly starts to get back on its feet from the Covid-19 quarantine, businesses just like ours are starting to look at how we can adapt and overcome new social etiquettes. As the head of our video production team, it has been a challenge for me to develop new ways in which we are able to continue to create customer testimonial videos, but I have developed some strategies for navigating our new normal.

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Technology Regina Dawkins, Senior Advocacy Consultant Technology Regina Dawkins, Senior Advocacy Consultant

X.ai: A Personal Assistant at Your Disposal

Although most advocacy professionals wouldn’t mind an extra pair of hands to help with the countless responsibilities in a day, not everyone is lucky enough to have personal assistance with general daily tasks. If you are in a position where you are constantly scheduling meetings with customers, you may find that the task is very time-consuming. Going back and forth in email to find a time to meet can be tedious and reduce productivity. In addition, it can be a hassle to determine the correct time zone and the appropriate meeting time when contacts are located in different regions.

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The Fundamental Components of a Customer Advocacy Program

Customer advocacy – the process of identifying and sharing the stories of success and delight from satisfied customers to educate prospective buyers about the value a company offers – has enormous potential to meet B2B buyer demand for peer references, and positively impact company revenue. To realize this potential, however, customer advocacy programs must be strategically designed to ensure advocacy efforts support the needs and interests of customers and align to broader business goals.

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