Marketing Flywheel
Self-reinforcing growth model where customer success drives new customer acquisition.
Definition
The marketing flywheel is a growth model where satisfied customers become a primary driver of new customer acquisition through referrals, reviews, word-of-mouth, and case studies. Unlike the traditional funnel that ends at purchase, the flywheel recognizes that customer experience generates marketing momentum.
A well-functioning flywheel builds compound growth as each satisfied customer potentially generates multiple new customers. This shifts focus from just acquiring customers to creating experiences worth sharing.
Why It Matters
Customer acquisition costs keep rising. A functioning flywheel reduces dependence on paid acquisition by turning customer success into a growth engine.
For growth-focused teams, flywheel thinking reframes customer experience as a marketing investment rather than just a retention expense.
Examples in Practice
A product's referral program contributes 40% of new customers, demonstrating strong flywheel momentum driven by satisfied users.
Investing in customer onboarding improves NPS scores, which correlates with increased referral rates and review volume.
Customer success resources are justified as marketing investments when analysis shows their impact on word-of-mouth growth.