In a recent newsletter, I promised to unpack how owned media, the PESO model, and word-of-mouth referrals fit together in today’s AI-driven landscape. Here’s the short answer: referrals are still the fastest, most trusted way to land the right clients. Owned media is how you accelerate them.
Let’s start with reality:
- Referrals win every time. Nothing beats being introduced by a trusted COI or client. That’s your “safe driver” handing you the keys to their most valued relationships.
- Technology is undefeated. Search, social, and now AI are changing how credibility is measured. If you’re invisible online, even your best referral sources will hesitate.
So the question isn’t which matters more—referrals or media. The question is: how do we combine them so you fill your referral pipeline predictably and get meetings faster?
If you’re interested in taking your business a step further, head over to my Substack to read the full article and subscribe to Can I Borrow Your Car.
