In this episode of Marketing Without Rules, Lewis Vandervalk of Blue Crocus Solutions is joined by Clifton, an entrepreneur who transformed a guerrilla-style fax marketing campaign into a blueprint for building customer relationships that last a lifetime.

They dive deep into unconventional marketing strategies that challenge the traditional focus on ROI, introducing instead the concept of ROR - Return on Relationship.

Through real-world case studies, including a deck-building company that slashed marketing costs from 20% to 2.5% while approaching eight figures in revenue, Clifton details how businesses can create "raving fans" through systematic relationship building. He shares actionable insights about the psychology of appreciation, the pitfalls of branded merchandise, and how simple handwritten notes can transform customer loyalty.

The conversation explores what Clifton calls "automating happiness," demonstrating how businesses can combine high-tech automation with high-touch personal connection to create memorable customer experiences. Despite going against conventional marketing wisdom, Clifton backs each approach with concrete results, showing how businesses from home services to engineering firms can achieve 60%+ referral rates with minimal marketing spend.