Glossary
Short definitions for the terms used across the Referral Marketing Formula. Each page defines one entity and links to the module where it is applied.
By Derek Morgan
Published · Updated
These pages define entities, not teach full modules. For the complete nine-module framework, see the Referral Marketing Formula™.
Classification summary
| # | Term | Slug (permanent) | Class | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ideal customer profile | /glossary/ideal-customer-profile/ | Standard term | Freeze |
| 2 | Ideal referral partner profile | /glossary/ideal-referral-partner-profile/ | Asset | Freeze |
| 3 | Alignment versus discovery | /glossary/alignment-vs-discovery/ | Asset | Freeze |
| 4 | Referral potential and referral results | /glossary/referral-potential-and-results/ | Teaching device | Open |
| 5 | Unidentified opportunity cost | /glossary/unidentified-opportunity-cost/ | Asset | Freeze |
| 6 | Minimum viable partner program | /glossary/minimum-viable-partner-program/ | Asset | Freeze |
| 7 | The 1:1, 1:More, 1:Many Leverage Model | /glossary/referral-leverage-model/ | Asset | Freeze |
| 8 | The five partner types | /glossary/five-partner-types/ | Asset | Freeze |
LASER is gated on trade mark clearance and is excluded from this listing until clearance is complete.
Ideal customer profile (ICP)
An ideal customer profile is a defined description of the customers a business serves best, used as an operational filter rather than a marketing document.
Ideal referral partner profile (IRP)
An ideal referral partner profile is a defined description of the businesses that already hold trusted access to your ideal customers and are positioned to introduce you to them.
Alignment versus discovery
Alignment is a mutual qualification conversation in which both parties assess fit, as distinct from a discovery call in which one party assesses the other.
Referral potential and referral results
Referral potential is the introductions your network could produce, and referral results are the introductions it actually produces. The distance between the two is a structural problem rather than a relationship problem.
Unidentified opportunity cost
Unidentified opportunity cost is the revenue lost to introductions that were never made, because nobody knew they were possible.
Minimum viable partner program (MVPP)
A minimum viable partner program is the smallest complete partner program a business can operate well, built around a single partner type before any others are added.
The 1:1, 1:More, 1:Many Leverage Model
The 1:1, 1:More, 1:Many Leverage Model describes how referral reach compounds as the type of relationship changes, from a single introduction, to a partner who can introduce several ideal customers, to affiliates, centres of influence and communities that open access to many at once.
The five partner types
The Referral Marketing Formula recognizes five partner types: referral partners, collaboration partners, implementation partners, resellers, and affiliates. Each operates differently and requires a different program structure.