---
name: referral-program
description: "Designs customer referral systems with incentive tiers, tracking mechanisms, and promotional messaging. Use when a user wants to grow through word-of-mouth, needs a structured refer-a-friend program, or wants to reward existing customers for bringing in new business."
---

# Referral Program Designer

## When to Use This Skill

- Want to grow through word-of-mouth but have no formal system
- Customers already refer informally and you want to amplify it
- Customer acquisition costs are too high on paid channels
- Launching a new product and want built-in viral mechanics
- Existing referral program isn't generating results

## Core Principle

**THE BEST REFERRAL PROGRAMS REWARD BOTH SIDES. If only the referrer benefits, the referred person feels used. If only the referred person benefits, nobody refers.**

## Workflow

### Phase 1: Program Design

Ask the user:

1. What do you sell? (product, service, subscription, course)
2. What's the average purchase value or lifetime value of a customer?
3. What can you afford to give away per referral? (discount, cash, product, credit)
4. How do customers currently find you?
5. What tools do you use? (email platform, e-commerce platform, CRM)

**Minimum needed: questions 1 and 2.**

### Phase 2: Incentive Structure

Design a two-sided reward:

| Component | Referrer Gets | Referred Person Gets |
|-----------|--------------|---------------------|
| Default Model | Store credit or cash reward | Discount on first purchase |

**Incentive Guidelines by Business Type:**

| Business Type | Referrer Reward | Referred Reward | Example |
|--------------|----------------|----------------|---------|
| E-commerce ($50+ AOV) | $15 store credit | 15% off first order | "Give 15%, Get $15" |
| SaaS / Subscription | 1 free month | 1 free month or extended trial | "Give a month, Get a month" |
| Service Business | $50-100 credit | $50 off first project | "Give $50, Get $50" |
| Course / Digital | 20% commission | $50 off enrollment | "Share & Earn 20%" |
| Coaching | Free session credit | Free discovery call + $100 off | "Gift a free call" |

### Phase 3: Program Mechanics

Define:

1. **Tracking method:** Unique referral link (recommended), referral code, or manual tracking
2. **Reward trigger:** When does the reward activate? (after purchase, after trial converts, after 30 days)
3. **Reward delivery:** Automatic email with credit/code, or manual fulfillment
4. **Limits:** Max referrals per person? Expiration on codes? Stackable with other offers?
5. **Tier bonuses** (optional): Extra rewards at 3, 5, 10 referrals

### Phase 4: Promotional Messaging

Write:
1. **Program announcement email** to existing customers
2. **Referral invitation template** (what the referrer sends to friends)
3. **Post-purchase referral prompt** (shown after checkout or delivery)
4. **Social media post** announcing the program
5. **Reminder email** for customers who haven't referred yet (30 days after signup)

### Phase 5: Launch & Track

Define success metrics:
- Referral rate (% of customers who refer)
- Conversion rate (% of referred visitors who purchase)
- Cost per acquisition via referral vs. other channels
- Program ROI (revenue from referred customers vs. reward costs)

## Examples

### Example 1: Online Skincare Brand ($65 AOV)

**Program: "Share the Glow"**

**Structure:**
- Referrer gets: $15 store credit (applied automatically after friend's first purchase)
- Referred friend gets: 20% off their first order
- Tracking: Unique referral link generated in customer account dashboard
- Reward trigger: After friend's order ships (prevents fraud from returns)
- Tier bonuses: 5 referrals = free full-size product, 10 referrals = VIP status (early access + free shipping for life)

**Announcement Email:**

> Subject: You just unlocked something special
>
> Hey [Name],
>
> You know that feeling when you find a product that actually works and you can't stop telling people about it?
>
> We're making that official.
>
> **Introducing Share the Glow:**
> → Give your friends 20% off their first order
> → You get $15 in store credit every time someone orders
> → Refer 5 friends? Free full-size product of your choice
>
> Your personal referral link: [unique link]
>
> Share it on social, text it to your group chat, or just reply to this email with a friend's email and we'll send them a personal invite from you.
>
> Thank you for spreading the word. It means more than you know.
>
> [Brand Name] Team

**Post-Purchase Prompt (shown on order confirmation page):**

> **Love your order? Share the love.**
>
> Give a friend 20% off and earn $15 for yourself.
>
> [Your Referral Link] [Copy Link Button]
>
> Or share directly: [Facebook] [Twitter] [Email] [Text]

### Example 2: SaaS Project Management Tool ($29/mo)

**Program: "Build Your Team"**

**Structure:**
- Referrer gets: 1 free month per successful referral (stacks up to 12 months free)
- Referred friend gets: 60-day free trial (instead of standard 14-day)
- Tracking: Unique referral code in account settings
- Reward trigger: After referred user's first paid month
- Tier bonuses: 3 referrals = free annual plan upgrade, 10 referrals = lifetime free account

**In-App Referral Prompt (shown after user completes first project):**

> **You just crushed your first project!**
>
> Know someone who'd love this? Give them a 60-day free trial (4x longer than normal).
>
> You'll get a free month for every friend who signs up.
>
> [Share My Link] → app.taskflow.com/ref/[username]

## Recovery & Fallbacks

- **User has no tracking tools:** Start with a simple referral code system (e.g., customer's first name + number). Track manually in a spreadsheet. Upgrade to automated tracking when volume justifies it.
- **Program isn't getting traction:** Check three things: (1) Is the reward compelling enough? (2) Are you reminding customers the program exists? (3) Is sharing frictionless (one-click)?
- **Fraud/gaming concerns:** Add safeguards: rewards only after purchase ships, no self-referrals, cap referrals at 50/month, require unique email addresses.
- **User can't afford cash rewards:** Use non-cash rewards: early access to new products, exclusive content, VIP status, handwritten thank-you notes, or bonus items with next order.

## Constraints

- **ALWAYS design two-sided rewards** — both referrer and referred must benefit
- Reward trigger should happen AFTER the purchase is confirmed (not at signup)
- Keep the referral mechanism to ONE step — if it takes more than one click to share, participation drops dramatically
- Make the math simple — "Give $15, Get $15" not "Give 12.5% off orders over $75 excluding sale items"
- Include at least one reminder touchpoint — most customers forget the program exists after day 1
