Referrals Are the Spark—Not the Engine for SME Growth
Posted on July 01, 2025 by Ratish Pandey, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.
Referrals spark growth—but aren’t the engine. Learn how smart businesses use them to scale, not stall. Strategy > luck.
In the early 2000s, PayPal grew explosively through a bold referral strategy—$10 to sign up, $10 to refer. It worked. But only for a while.
Too many startups today repeat the same playbook—hoping referrals alone will drive long-term growth. The truth? Referrals are a catalyst, not a complete strategy.
This article dives into how founders can optimise referral programs without becoming dependent on them. From creating structured ask systems to blending referrals with upselling and community-building—this is your blueprint for scalable, smart growth.
