A customer referral program’s key function is to nudge your customers to promote your products in return for referral incentives.
You need to consider several elements for your loyal customers to promote your brand enthusiastically. Along with attractive referral rewards, you need other perks to encourage customers to sign up to be brand advocates.
This blog has discussed the best customer referral programs to help you understand what works with the audience. You can use this knowledge to design your customer referral program better.
Reach a wide set of target audience by creating an attractive referral landing page with Afflr.
What is a Customer Referral Program for Shopify?
A customer referral program for Shopify is a strategy where store owners turn existing customers into brand advocates. These customers will refer your Shopify store to their friends, family, or colleagues. For every new referral sale they bring, these customers will be rewarded.
These rewards can be cash, discounts, store credits, or exclusive perks. Customer referral programs use the power of word-of-mouth marketing in Shopify.
According to the survey, 75% of people trust sources from people they know before making a purchase decision. Therefore, using referral marketing to promote your Shopify store will be the best way to reach a wider audience and generate revenue.
Creating a referral program for customers will help you bring in new customers, develop relationships with your existing customers, and help in retention.
How to design a referral program for customers?
To design a referral program for customers of your Shopify store, you can follow the steps:
- Set Clear Goals
Define what you want to achieve as an end goal, such as increased sales, customer retention, or broader brand awareness. This will help you design your program’s structure and rewards. - Choose Right Incentives
Offer different types of commission that appeal to your audience. Discounts, store credits, or free products are a few examples. Ensure the incentives are valuable and motivate participation. - Make It Simple and Transparent
Design the referral process to be easy and simple to understand. Outline how customers can join, earn rewards, and redeem them. Use clear instructions and visuals on your referral landing page. Use a landing page app to make your work easy. - Leverage Shopify Referral Apps
Utilize Shopify referral apps to streamline tracking, automate payouts, and provide a seamless user experience. - Promote Your Program
Endorse your customer referral program in email, social media, and your website. Use banners or pop-ups in the Shopify store to grab attention. You can use Shopify ads with an app to make your program reach a wider audience. - Track and Optimize
Monitor the performance of the and analyze the key metrics. Review and refine the rewards, messaging, etc based on outcome to enhance participation and satisfaction.
You can use free apps in Shopify to handle all features of your Shopify referral marketing campaign and improve it for better results.
Onboard more affiliates by creating a signup form and thank you page with Afflr.
11 best customer referral program examples
The best customer referral program examples of Shopify stores are:
- Friendly Planet
- Rothy’s
- Weekendbee
- Savor Beauty
- FitnessFirst
- Thrift Books
- Pact
- Homefield
- ToyToys
- EveryTable
- iWader
1. Friendly Planet
Friendly Planet offers a straightforward customer referral program that allows customers to easily understand the process and rewards. Their landing page simplifies the steps involved, making it clear how both referrers and referees can benefit.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: $100 off their next booking.
- Referral Discount: $100 off the first booking for new customers.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
The simplicity of Friendly Planet’s program highlights the importance of transparency and clarity on referral landing pages. By making the process straightforward, stores can increase participation and conversion rates.
2. Rothy’s
Rothy’s program stands out with its clean design and simple user journey. It focuses on collecting email addresses first to ensure participants are genuinely interested before providing detailed program information.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: $20 off for each offer redeemed.
- Referral Discount: $20 off orders over $50 [limited to US]
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
Rothy’s approach to using email collection helps segment customers based on interest. Shopify store owners can adopt this method to filter leads and ensure their referral programs target genuine people customers.
3. Weekendbee
Weekendbee’s customer referral program encourages outdoor enthusiasts to participate by offering relevant rewards and discounts. However, the lack of a clear CTA deters the full user experience and motivation to proceed forward.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: €10 commission.
- Referral Discount: €10 discount on the first order. Discount codes are valid only for 30 days.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
A strong call-to-action (CTA) is important for driving conversions. Without proper clear sign-up instructions, customers will be discouraged from signing up.
4. Savor Beauty
Savor Beauty makes use of an effective referral program strategy with a clear CTA and FAQ section to answer common customer inquiries. Their emphasis on transparency helps reduce confusion and increase referral registration.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: $25 off the next order.
- Referral Discount: $25 off the first order.
Rewards and discounts apply only if the total order value is over $50. This discount code cannot be combined with other offers.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
Maintaining a minimum order value for referral orders will make sure you attract quality leads. Shopify stores can adapt this by any conditions to filter away people who are scammers.
5. FitnessFirst
FitnessFirst uses a lucky draw to make its customer referral program exciting and engaging. This creative approach adds an element of surprise, incentivizing customers to refer more people.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: 2-week free session.
- Referral Discount: No direct discount is offered.
A maximum of 70 free days can be availed by referring 5 friends to the business.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
The addition of gamification, like lucky draws, can increase participation in your refer-a-friend program. Shopify store owners can integrate fun, reward-based contests into their programs.
6. Thrift Books
ThriftBooks’s customer referral program emphasizes simplicity, with a referral landing page that clearly outlines the rewards and requirements for both referrers and referees. The program also integrates customer reviews to build credibility.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: Free book for referring a customer who purchases over $30.
- Referral Discount: Free book.
The new customer must create an account with Thrift Books and join the ReadingRewards program to be considered a valid referral.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
This partner program demonstrates offering valuable rewards, such as free products. Shopify stores can replicate this strategy by offering free products, samples, or upgrades to increase customer engagement.
7. Pact
Pact’s referral program uses emotional marketing by showcasing happy customers wearing their sustainable apparel. This positive portrayal of the brand helps encourage customer engagement and referrals.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: $20 credit on the next purchase.
- Referral Discount: 20% off the first purchase.
This program is available only to new customers and is limited to US residents.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
Pact’s use of happy customers in their products is a strong way to showcase testimonials. Using a positive image aligning with positive experiences, Shopify stores can build emotional connections with their customers.
8. Homefield
Homefield’s customer referral program page is interactive, providing a chat feature for personalized assistance. They also offer loyalty points in addition to referral rewards.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: 20% off the next order.
- Referral Discount: 20% off the first order.
You can earn loyalty points and redeem them later.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
Integrating live chat support into the referral page of the Shopify store can help customers navigate the program with ease. You can improve engagement by solving their issues. Additionally, adding loyalty points is an excellent way to reward repeat participation. You can use WhatsApp apps in Shopify to make chatting easy.
9. ToyToys
ToyToys uses playful branding and animations on their customer referral program page, but the lack of clear benefits and program details may confuse customers.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: None specified.
- Referral Discount: No clear referral discount is outlined.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
Clear communication and program transparency are key to a successful referral program. Shopify stores should ensure that all benefits are explicitly stated and easy to understand.
10. EveryTable
EveryTable makes use of impactful imagery and simple messaging to convey its referral program. The clear CTA encourages easy participation.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: $40 off for each person referred.
- Referral Discount: $40 off the first order.
You have to sign up to become part of the program.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
Visual appeal and a straightforward referral process can increase customer engagement. EveryTable’s approach proves that simplicity and a strong CTA can drive participation in referral marketing.
11. iWader
iWader’s customer referral program includes commission on referral sales, along with incentives for frequent referrers, such as extra commissions for consecutive referrals.
Key Rewards for Referrals:
- Customer Reward: 15% of the referral’s order value.
- Referral Discount: 5% off on first order.
There is an additional $100 commission on the 4th consecutive referral order in one month.
What Shopify Store Owners Can Learn:
Shopify stores should consider implementing tiered rewards to keep customers motivated to refer more. Offering higher commissions for frequent referrers is an excellent way to make them do their best.
Turn satisfied customers into brand advocates by incentivizing them with a suitable reward plan using Afflr.
Conclusion
A customer referral program improves the referral sales and customer acquisition of a Shopify store by a large margin.
Successful referral programs are simple, transparent, and rewarding, offering incentives that attract your target customers.
Create a referral program landing page that is attractive and informative. Include a clear call to action to prompt your customers to participate.
Further Reading
- 10 Best Affiliate Programs for Digital Products
- 7 Top Affiliate Programs for Web Developers to Join
- Affiliate Marketing vs Influencer Marketing: A Full Guide
- How to Find Affiliate Marketing Partners for Your Shopify Store?
The objective of the customer referral program is simple. Motivate satisfied customers with rewards and commissions to promote the products or services of the Shopify store. This will increase customer acquisition and bring more sales.
You can generate customer referrals by approaching your satisfied customers through email marketing or Thank you page pop-ups and requesting them to promote your business in return for referral incentives, commission, or loyalty points.
The 3 types of referrals are Direct referrals, Customer Referrals, and social media referrals.
To set up a referral program:
1. Define a clear goal
2. Set Flexible commission and discount
3. Promote your referral program
4. Pick the right automation app for referral marketing
5. Measure and optimize the Performance
