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On this week’s Business Accelerator podcast, Broker Daily director Alex Whitlock sat down with broker coach Jason Back to discuss how “business hygiene” is influencing referral behaviour, as consumers increasingly validate recommendations online before making contact.
While word of mouth remains a primary source of new business, Back and Whitlock agreed that a referral is no longer the decision point – it is now the beginning of a process conducted across Google, LinkedIn, and broker websites.
“Your customer will judge you on what they can see,” Whitlock said.
“These business hygiene factors have become really important.”
Back added: “The referral these days is almost like the starting line because once the referral comes in, we go to Google. Once we’ve done our Google search, we might go to your LinkedIn, then your website, then your Instagram, and then we make our inquiry.”
He warned that brokers may never know when their online presence has cost them a deal.
“Clients don’t say to you, ‘I decided not to contact you because your online presence looked weak.’ They just quietly move on, you’ll never hear from them,” Back said.
From multichannel to ‘omnichannel’ consistency
Traditionally, brokers have relied heavily on referral networks, repeat business, and local reputation. While those channels remain strong, Back said consumer behaviour has evolved.
Online presence is now a credibility checkpoint, and consistency across platforms is critical.
“Multichannel is having all your presences; your social media, your website, your physical presence, your email signature,” Back said.
“But omnichannel is when all those channels align, and the customer experience is the same across all of them.”
He urged brokers to assess whether their digital footprint presents a cohesive message.
“Would a stranger get the same understanding of my business no matter which platform they land on first? Or does it feel more confused or fragmented?” Back said.
“These little things matter.”
Whitlock added that disappearing from channels, even temporarily, can create doubt about a business’s stability.
“If you had a presence for six months and now you’re gone, people question what’s happened to your business. The same applies to brokers with their social media and general marketing,” he said.
Conducting a ‘business hygiene’ audit
As the industry moves further into 2026, Back encouraged brokers to conduct what he described as a “business hygiene audit” – a structured review of their digital footprint and positioning.
Key questions he suggested brokers consider include:
- If a referred client searched your name tonight, what would they find?
- Is it immediately clear who you specialise in helping?
- Does your website build confidence or simply confirm that you operate?
- Is your messaging consistent across LinkedIn, your website, and other platforms?
- Would you choose your own business over two competitors based purely on your online presence?
“I think we’ve got to be really conscious that to stand out, you’ve got to stand up,” Back said.
“If I was a referred client who Googled me tonight, what would they find? Would it clearly show who I am, who I help and why I’m different? Or would it just suggest another generic broker that could belong to anybody?
“If you were choosing between me as the broker and two other brokers online, would you honestly pick yourself? So cut the ego. Let’s look at the digital footprint and see who effectively wins your trust.”
[Related: Is AI coming for brokers? Industry weighs impact]