Reference Programs
Programmatic Reference Program
Challenge
The Dropbox Sales and Marketing teams had a severely limited number of customer logos/naming rights to reference in sales calls, pitch decks, landing pages, and sales enablement materials. Reference agreements were handled reactively, and on an ad hoc basis, rather than proactively through clauses at the contract stage.
Solution
I built a 0-1 strategy and playbook to develop a scaled, programmatic approach to sourcing customer reference agreements. By engaging and building trust with cross-functional partners, I successfully navigated multiple team workflows, processes, and policies to implement a baked-in reference clause that permits naming, logo, and use case rights.
Outcome & Impact
Launched within 90 days
Rapidly scaled the rate, depth, and breadth of customer reference agreements:
In first 90 days following launch, we saw growth of 365%
YoY increase of over 2,000% (!) in 2025 YTD
Following launch, I created an internal reference bank for Dropboxers to easily access, browse, and surface logos and naming rights based to their specific needs (e.g. industry, region, company size, etc.).
The bank enables my teammates to move faster and more confidently in referencing approved customers from a sole source of truth, without needing to manually track down agreements. This in turn reduces reliance on Customer Marketing for emergency asks.
I intentionally built the bank to scale. It ✨ automagically ✨ updates via integrations with our internal systems to both ensure accuracy and streamline maintenance.
XFN Partners
Legal | Sales Operations | IT | Sales | Account Management
1:1 Customer Reference Program
Challenge
Dropbox's legacy customer reference platform was outdated, poorly implemented, and rarely used by the sales team. There was no sole manager of the tool, it lacked internal advocates, and did not support modern customer advocacy workflows or benefits.
Solution
I led a gut renovation of our customer reference tooling, starting with a robust product evaluation of multiple software solutions. I formed an internal committee of key stakeholders across Legal, Sales, and IT to serve as partners in the evaluation process, ensuring buy-in from cross-functional teams prior to implementation.
After navigating a complex procurement and technical proofing process (including adherence to strict data and privacy standards), we landed on an innovative, intuitive, and self-serve software to integrate into our systems and provide a top-tier customer experience.
Outcome & Impact
Over 100 customers recruited prior to launch
80% opt-in rate for 1:1 reference calls
125+ pieces of customer content sourced ($46K value)
Successfully onboarded 56 sales reps
XFN Partners
Sales | Account Management | Customer Success | Content Enablement | Legal | Procurement | Finance
“The new structure for customer references in our sales systems is straightforward and simple to use. I don’t need to go to Marketing, Deal Desk, or Legal anymore. It’s entirely autonomous. Not dealing with any added friction is huge.”