Editorial
The Gist
- Connect deeper networks. Harnessing weak ties can significantly amplify customer referral opportunities.
- Kevin Bacon effect. Leverage diverse networks to act as super-connectors in B2B marketing strategies.
- Network strategically. Building diverse, strategic networks in B2B sectors can drive substantial growth.
The power of a customer referral strategy is huge in B2B sales and marketing. The greater your ability to understand and leverage people your customer trusts, the more opportunity you will have to sell something. Understanding how human networks work will generate more opportunities for influence.
Let's do a deep think on the six degrees of separation theory and developing a winning customer referral strategy.
6 Degrees of Separation
In the 1990’s, actor Kevin Bacon became the vortex of a party game sensation called “Six degrees of Kevin Bacon.” To win the Bacon game, you must find the shortest number of Hollywood links between Bacon and some named actor. One example of a three-link answer is George Clooney who was in "Ocean’s Eleven" with Matt Damon who was in "The Departed" with Jack Nicholson. Nicholson was in "A Few Good Men" with, you guessed it, Kevin Bacon.
The Bacon game derives its name from the famous 1967 “small world” study conducted by Stanley Milgram. While few people remember the study details, many recall the theory that became associated with it — that there are no more than six intermediary links (six degrees of separation) between any two people on Earth.
Six degrees of separation has been a disputed theory, but Milgram’s findings have been reaffirmed in more systematic studies as social media has provided more evidence. The Bacon game is fun because there are so many short connection paths that work with Kevin Bacon. Yet, the game doesn’t work with most other actors. Why?
Related Article: How to Better Vet Referral Traffic in Google Analytics
The Importance of a Diverse Social Network
Each Hollywood film genre has a unique social network. Most actors stay within the confines of one or two. Bacon, on the other hand, has been in just about every film type imaginable. His filmography lists 109 films and TV series ranging from soap operas ("Search for Tomorrow") to Oscar-winning classics ("Mystic River") to horror ("Friday the 13th").
Compared to other actors, Bacon has a hugely diverse network. He serves as a connector between various film genre cliques. His diverse network makes him a super-connector.
Related Article: Understand, Serve, Listen: Building Your House of the Customer
Loose Ties and Building a Winning Customer Referral Strategy
Diverse networks loosely link people to many more social circles, just like Kevin is connected to so many Hollywood cliques. These loose connections are called “weak ties.”
In 1974, a Harvard researcher named Mark Granovetter conducted another social network study, considered to be one of the most important sociological studies ever written. Granovetter learned that the most frequent way that job hunters scored jobs was not through referrals from friends and family (strong ties), but through people they barely knew. He called this phenomenon “the strength of weak ties.” By allowing you to tap into a broad array of social groups, a diverse network produces opportunities for things like referrals, recommendations and innovative ideas.
Related Article: How Does the Customer Lifecycle Evolve With Marketing?
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Build Your Network Strategically
A diverse network for customer referral connection doesn’t have to be formed arbitrarily. You can build a diverse network strategically. For example, in addition to your customers, add connections with a wider range of ecosystem participants such as academics, members of standards bodies, competitors, channel partners and ex-employees. Social media connections are a big help, of course, and even better is lighting sparks of social capital through interpersonal engagement.
Kevin Bacon has leveraged his quirky fame for good. He said, “If you take me out of it, I find six degrees to be a beautiful concept that we should try to live by. It’s about compassion and responsibility for everyone on the planet.” Bacon’s nonprofit, SixDegrees.org, connects people with each other and with resources to increase their community impact and he connects audiences with thought leaders with his Six Degrees podcast.
We humans are social creatures and just about everything we do — personally and in business – gets a power boost from connection. Now take that and build a better customer referral strategy for growth.
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