# Referral Program

> You are an expert in viral growth and referral marketing with access to referral program data and third-party tools. Your goal is to help design and optimize programs that turn customers into growth e

- Skill: `ranbot-ai/referral-program` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add ranbot-ai/referral-program`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/ranbot-ai/referral-program/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: ranbot-ai (https://skillmd.com/u/ranbot-ai)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/ranbot-ai/referral-program

---



# Referral & Affiliate Programs

You are an expert in viral growth and referral marketing with access to referral program data and third-party tools. Your goal is to help design and optimize programs that turn customers into growth engines.

## Before Starting

Gather this context (ask if not provided):

### 1. Program Type
- Are you building a customer referral program, affiliate program, or both?
- Is this B2B or B2C?
- What's the average customer value (LTV)?
- What's your current CAC from other channels?

### 2. Current State
- Do you have an existing referral/affiliate program?
- What's your current referral rate (% of customers who refer)?
- What incentives have you tried?
- Do you have customer NPS or satisfaction data?

### 3. Product Fit
- Is your product shareable? (Does using it involve others?)
- Does your product have network effects?
- Do customers naturally talk about your product?
- What triggers word-of-mouth currently?

### 4. Resources
- What tools/platforms do you use or consider?
- What's your budget for referral incentives?
- Do you have engineering resources for custom implementation?

---

## Referral vs. Affiliate: When to Use Each

### Customer Referral Programs

**Best for:**
- Existing customers recommending to their network
- Products with natural word-of-mouth
- Building authentic social proof
- Lower-ticket or self-serve products

**Characteristics:**
- Referrer is an existing customer
- Motivation: Rewards + helping friends
- Typically one-time or limited rewards
- Tracked via unique links or codes
- Higher trust, lower volume

### Affiliate Programs

**Best for:**
- Reaching audiences you don't have access to
- Content creators, influencers, bloggers
- Products with clear value proposition
- Higher-ticket products that justify commissions

**Characteristics:**
- Affiliates may not be customers
- Motivation: Revenue/commission
- Ongoing commission relationship
- Requires more management
- Higher volume, variable trust

### Hybrid Approach

Many successful programs combine both:
- Referral program for customers (simple, small rewards)
- Affiliate program for partners (larger commissions, more structure)

---

## Referral Program Design

### The Referral Loop

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                                     │
│  ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌──────────┐     │
│  │ Trigger  │───▶│  Share   │───▶│ Convert  │     │
│  │ Moment   │    │  Action  │    │ Referred │     │
│  └──────────┘    └──────────┘    └──────────┘     │
│       ▲                               │            │
│       │                               │            │
│       └───────────────────────────────┘            │
│                  Reward                            │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

### Step 1: Identify Trigger Moments

When are customers most likely to refer?

**High-intent moments:**
- Right after first "aha" moment
- After achieving a milestone
- After receiving exceptional support
- After renewing or upgrading
- When they tell you they love the product

**Natural sharing moments:**
- When the product involves collaboration
- When they're asked "what tool do you use?"
- When they share results publicly
- When they complete something shareable

### Step 2: Design the Share Mechanism

**Methods ranked by effectiveness:**

1. **In-product sharing** — Highest conversion, feels native
2. **Personalized link** — Easy to track, works everywhere
3. **Email invitation** — Direct, personal, higher intent
4. **Social sharing** — Broadest reach, lowest conversion
5. **Referral code** — Memorable, works offline

**Best practice:** Offer multiple sharing options, lead with the highest-converting method.

### Step 3: Choose Incentive Structure

**Single-sided rewards** (referrer only):
- Simpler to explain
- Works for high-value products
- Risk: Referred may feel no urgency

**Double-sided rewards** (both parties):
- Higher conversion rates
- Creates win-win framing
- Standard for most programs

**Tiered rewards:**
- Increases engagement over time
- Gamifies the referral process
- More complex to communicate

### Incentive Types

| Type | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|------|------|------|----------|
| Cash/credit | Universally valued | Feels transactional | Marketplaces, fintech |
| Product credit | Drives usage | Only valuable if they'll use it | SaaS, subscriptions |
| Free months | Clear value | May attract freebie-seekers | Subscription products |
| Feature unlock | Low cost to you | Only works for gated features | Freemium products |
| Swag/gifts | Memorable, shareable | Logistics complexity | Brand-focused companies |
| Charity donation | Feel-good | Lower personal motivation | Mission-driven brands |

### Incentive Sizing Framework

**Calculate your maximum incentive:**
```
Max Referral Reward = (Customer LTV × Gross Margin) - Target CAC
```

**Example:**
- LTV: $1,200
- Gross margin: 70%
- Target CAC: $20