I hear you guys loud and clear!

I have friends in South Bay (Torrance, Hermosa Beach, MB, Redondo, etc) and they are in residential construction, painting, etc and they constantly get work by word-of-mouth. They haven't advertised once and get all their jobs by thru references.

Is this the norm with most of you guys as well? Mostly by references and word of mouth?
My friends work regularly with the same contractors and builders...