Referral Programs
Structured systems that incentivize customers to recommend products or services to others.
Also known as: Refer-a-friend programs, Referral marketing, Member-get-member
Category: Methods
Tags: marketing, growth, businesses, word-of-mouth, customer-success
Explanation
Referral programs turn happy customers into acquisition channels by rewarding successful recommendations. Common structures include: one-sided (referrer gets reward), two-sided (both referrer and referee benefit), tiered (increasing rewards for more referrals), and gamified (leaderboards, milestones). Famous examples include Dropbox's extra storage, PayPal's cash bonuses, and Airbnb's travel credits. Success factors include: easy sharing mechanics, meaningful rewards, clear tracking, and timing asks when customers are most satisfied. Referred customers typically have higher retention and lifetime value because they arrive with trust. For creators, referral programs might reward students who bring friends, offer affiliate commissions, or provide exclusive content for referrals.
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