Word of mouth and network marketing have been around long before Al Gore invented the internet, but you might say that the internet has “cheapened” the value of a referral. It has made referrals easier (just click the link), so we are often bombarded with media that we don’t really engage with, trust or value. Which delivery channel do you trust the most? Is it a social network, a link board, or email perhaps?

A direct referral from a true friend always wins. In my mind, a link shared via email is more direct than a public status update, potentially viral though they may be. Status updates offer the benefit of broadcasting to the entire network and typically offer integrated sharing options (an easily accessible link to… share the subject link), but a direct email – from one person to another – would seem most direct and obligatory. Usually, if I receive a link via email, I feel obligated to check it out and respond. That person who emailed me emailed me and only me… which is valuable.