Undoubtedly, the best way to boost business is through great word-of mouth. This will happen naturally over time if your product and/or service is good. Can you accelerate the process?
Yes:
ask people to do more word-of-mouth ('please tell your friends').
ask people for real references from real people. Publish these references.
remind people who you would like them to tell (the IT director? their girlfriend?).
make it easy for them: give them a simple story ('it really is the best pizza-dedicated Italian restaurant in California').
go-back to the originators of word-of-mouth and thank them.
