{"id":31149,"date":"2026-04-16T12:12:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T16:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/?p=31149"},"modified":"2026-04-16T16:29:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T20:29:25","slug":"harrys-referral-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/harrys-referral-program\/","title":{"rendered":"How the Harry&#8217;s Referral Program Got 100,000 Sign-Ups in One Week"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><em>This article is part of our Referral Program Deep Dive series, where we dive into all the details of what makes hyper-viral referral programs (like the Harry&#8217;s referral program) successful.<\/em><\/p>\r\n<p><em>Want to find out the secrets of other top-notch referral programs? Check out our other deep dives:<\/em><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/dropbox-referral-program\/\"><em>3900% Growth Through Referrals: The Dropbox Referral Program Case Study<\/em><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><em><a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/morning-brew-referral-program\/\">How the Morning Brew Referral Program Drove Millions of Subscriptions<\/a><\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Harry&#8217;s pre-launch referral program is one of the most studied examples in referral marketing \u2014 and for good reason. Before their product was ever available to buy, they collected over 100,000 email sign-ups in a single week. More than three-quarters of those came from referrals.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This wasn&#8217;t luck. It was a deliberately designed system: the right reward structure, messaging that made sharing feel generous instead of transactional, and a loop that kept spreading on its own. <\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&#8217;s how it worked \u2014 and what you can take from it for your own program:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harry&#8217;s built their referral program around giving, not earning \u2014 framing referrals as a gift to friends drove far more sharing than a straight reward play would have.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treating the program like a campaign was both Harry&#8217;s biggest strength (the pre-launch buzz) and their biggest mistake (they stopped after launch and missed ongoing referrals).<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tiered rewards with an achievable first tier (just 5 referrals) are what drove Harry&#8217;s high participation \u2014 the reward felt within reach from day one.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Harry\u2019s referral program: How it began<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s is a simple, yet high quality, razor brand that is famous for its razor shave club subscription. In fact, Harry\u2019s is one of the most successful razor subscription brands on the market (alongside their competitors, Dollar Shave Club).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31160 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-intro.png\" alt=\"harrys referral program intro\" width=\"656\" height=\"287\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-intro.png 1600w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-intro-300x131.png 300w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-intro-1024x448.png 1024w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-intro-1536x672.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s has since become a household brand, and since it falls in a very niche market, it seems to be quite popular when compared to what&#8217;s in the mass market. The bright orange handle (though it\u2019s not the only option available) is recognizable by even people who aren\u2019t using the brand. Their team of 600 engineers, chemists, and designers really seem to have knocked this one out of the park. They have since expanded to a variety of care products, like deodorants, skincare, soaps, and shampoos.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Aside from their signature look, many consumers choose Harry\u2019s because they give back to the community. 1% of all sales gets donated to nonprofit organizations that offer mental health services to men. They are set to reach $12 million in donations (helping about 1.5 million men) by 2024.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>But, how did they get to this point? Their prelaunch really helped set them off. They managed to receive over 100,000 emails in just one week of this prelaunch campaign.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Their prelaunch was set up to focus specifically on valid referrals. So, the founders Jeff and Andy, took it upon themselves to meet up with friends and other entrepreneurs they knew to get help sharing their product. About 200 people later, they were ready to focus on using these contacts to spread the word via their referral campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>This campaign proved to be a success:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong>Referrals accounted for more than half of all signups!<\/strong> 77% of the 100,000 emails collected came from referrals.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>20,000 people sent a referral<\/strong>. There were roughly 65K referrals sent.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>200 people sent more than 50 referrals.<\/strong> Meaning, 200 people actually made it to the highest tier.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Let\u2019s take a deeper look into their prelaunch and referral campaign.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does the Harry\u2019s referral program work?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The Harry\u2019s referral program used a milestone \u2013 or tiered \u2013 prelaunch program structure. At certain tiers a new reward would be up for grabs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>For the initial push, the program was promoted by all employees. At the time, employees were encouraged to send the product announcement to their friends, family, and anyone else they knew (referrals started from the very start!)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The email sent was personalized and friendly &#8211; plus, who wouldn\u2019t open an email from a friend? This email would provide a link to the Harry\u2019s 2-page microsite, where the referral would find a splash page (to sign up), and then the referral page (the viral loop).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The referral page included easy sharing options and a progress bar to track referrals and reward status. Each tier was laid out so that a free product was awarded. The lowest tier, 5 referrals, awarded a less expensive Harry\u2019s product (free shave cream), and the value went up at each tier. Ultimately, the reward at the fourth tier, 50 successful referrals, was an entire free year of shaving blades.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Harry&#8217;s viral loop: How it spread<\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By starting with employees, Harry&#8217;s reached people in a personal, friend-to-friend way. They didn&#8217;t need press or traditional advertising \u2014 at least not to get the initial momentum going.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/viral-loop\/\">A viral loop<\/a> is what happens when people share a brand with friends, who in turn share with their own friends, creating a cycle that feeds itself. Harry&#8217;s built this deliberately. It allowed them to tap into the trust that already existed in their network \u2014 starting from their own team and working outward. This type of acquisition is free or nearly free (the only cost is when a referral actually converts).<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What kept the loop moving was how Harry&#8217;s structured the rewards. Referrals could start sharing immediately upon signing up. The more referrals they sent, the higher the reward tier they could reach \u2014 which encouraged people to refer more than one friend. This multiplying effect is what produced numbers like 200+ people reaching the 50-referral tier.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harry&#8217;s encouraged both customer acquisition and retention by investing in their existing network first. Then used the product itself to make people want to participate. Together, those two decisions drove their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/viral-growth\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">viral growth<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What made the Harry&#8217;s referral program work?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let&#8217;s break down each element that helped Harry&#8217;s reach 100,000 subscribers in one week.<\/span> We&#8217;ve got plenty of <a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/referral-programs-101-everything-you-need-to-build-a-referral-marketing-program\/\">pointers for your own referral program<\/a> that you can steal.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Strategic first invitations<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The Harry&#8217;s pre-launch program used a strategic invitation approach to build buzz and generate excitement for their product launch. In addition to having employees share, they offered an exclusive sneak peek to a select group of influential individuals, and encouraged them to share the news with their audiences. (This included fellow CEOs.)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>By targeting this group, Harry&#8217;s was able to leverage their social influence and credibility to reach a wider audience and generate interest in their brand. They also made it easy for these individuals to share the news by providing them with pre-written templates.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The emails used to announce the impending launch were created very strategically by:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><strong>Relying on employees<\/strong>. Employees personally invited the recipients to share with their own peers, in a conversational, friend-to-friend way. People trust those they know \u2013 so it made sense to go this route.\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>All invites had email signatures with a direct link to the program.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Providing personalized messages<\/strong>. All emails sent were personal invites and used a conversational tone.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Very tailored content<\/strong>. Messages to each invitee was based on how much they knew (or didn\u2019t know) about Harry\u2019s.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>People with a direct influence<\/strong>. Special strategic emails were sent to people like CEOs. This encouraged recipients to share with a wide audience (such as their entire employee network).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>This approach helped Harry&#8217;s to build anticipation for their launch and generate a sense of exclusivity and urgency among their target audience. By tapping into their networks, they were able to create a snowball effect, with the news spreading rapidly and organically among their audience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry&#8217;s prelaunch program was a strategic and effective way to build buzz and generate excitement for their brand. Between the personal invites and the tailored content, referrals were introduced to Harry\u2019s in a conversational and friendly way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What strategies can you steal?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Make your product seem exclusive. This can create a buzz and people will want to join partly out of curiosity, but also because someone they know (and likely trust) invited them to this \u2018exclusive\u2019 thing.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s exclusive list and first people to know about the referral program were:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>People the founders talked to, and who were interested in Harry&#8217;s story.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Friends of the Harry\u2019s employees, invited by the employees they knew personally.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>These two groups worked really well as CEOs would have a great influence on their network and employees. And their employee group was able to share with individuals they knew really well (who better to trust than a friend who also works for the company being discussed).<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><strong><em>Worth considering<\/em><\/strong><em>: Use personalization when possible. That could mean using the referrer and referral\u2019s names or also making the copy of the message more personalized. By doing this, you are helping the referral to build a direct link, and that can help build trust in your product.<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Streamlined design<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s wanted to build a campaign that relied on credible referrals. One way they achieved this was by creating a dedicated page to referrals during their prelaunch. In fact, the prelaunch program was made up of two pages. They included page 1: the sign-up page (splash page), and page 2: the referral page.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The sign-up page only showed a teaser of the product and invited people to sign up to find out more. This was beneficial in that it piqued people\u2019s curiosity (<em>be the first to know<\/em>) about something new. Another thing they did was prevent distraction. On this page, there were no links out, and no other distracting information. The person could only enter the email or leave completely.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-31161 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/be-the-first-to-know-harrys.png\" alt=\"be the first to know harry&#039;s\" width=\"516\" height=\"154\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/be-the-first-to-know-harrys.png 516w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/be-the-first-to-know-harrys-300x90.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 516px) 100vw, 516px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Then, once they signed up and confirmed they were interested, they were directed right to the referral program. This worked well because it was placed after a high interest point. The person was obviously interested as they gave their email. After that confirmation, it&#8217;s prime time to offer free products. Not only would the person be one of the first to try it, but they could potentially get the product without having to buy it (just because they sent a referral).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-31162 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dont-leave-your-friends-behind-harrys-referral-program.png\" alt=\"don&#039;t leave your friends behind harry&#039;s referral program\" width=\"429\" height=\"314\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dont-leave-your-friends-behind-harrys-referral-program.png 490w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/dont-leave-your-friends-behind-harrys-referral-program-300x220.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 429px) 100vw, 429px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What strategies can you steal?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s had all avenues end at the referral program. By limiting page options during this launch, they were able to both focus on attracting sign-ups and referrals. You should also keep these pages simple. Harry\u2019s splash page was very simple, and only used 1 strong CTA.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><strong><em>Worth considering<\/em><\/strong><em>: If you are trying a prelaunch method, limit the amount of options someone can explore. By limiting pages to only sign up and to referral (for more people to sign up), you may get exactly what you want.\u00a0<\/em><\/div><\/div><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Element of exclusivity<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>This prelaunch also allowed Harry\u2019s to add an element of exclusivity to their product. Because it was new, and you basically had to be invited to learn about it, it led to people taking action.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>It was also the messaging used that made this an exclusive club. The sign-up page struck a chord with the messaging \u201cbe the first to know.\u201d Essentially, this email grants exclusive access to insider information. This helped give them a sense of prestige, as owning or experiencing something that is not available to everyone else can be seen as a symbol of status.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Then once they sign up, the message on the referral page was \u201cdon\u2019t leave your friends behind.\u201d This provoked referrals because people love sharing insider access with their peers. Why? It boosts their social currency and makes them the reason someone learns about a good product. In this case, referrers were among the first to receive access to Harry&#8217;s product.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>This tactic also led to FOMO. As we all know, <em>Fear of Missing Out <\/em>(FOMO) is a powerful motivator for many consumers. By creating this feeling with a sense of exclusivity, Harry\u2019s was able tap into this fear and motivate consumers to take action before they miss out on a unique opportunity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What strategies can you steal<\/strong>?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Try to create exclusivity. This worked well for Harry\u2019s for several reasons. It created a sense of\u00a0 prestige and FOMO. Which led people to sign up and continue referring.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>By creating an exclusive product or service, Harry\u2019s was able to differentiate themselves from their competitors and make their brand stand out.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><strong><em>Worth considering<\/em><\/strong><em>: If you\u2019re able, a prelaunch is a great way to create exclusivity. Many people jump onto ideas (even new ideas) because pre-launches and exclusivity can create a sense of excitement and perceived value. These can be powerful motivators for consumers to take action.<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clear, uncluttered landing page<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>There are serious perks to keeping landing pages simple. A landing page with a clear message and a single call-to-action (CTA) is more likely to convert users than a cluttered page with multiple CTAs. By removing distractions and focusing on the primary goal, a clear and uncluttered landing page can increase conversion rates.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31163 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-is-coming.png\" alt=\"harry&#039;s is coming\" width=\"595\" height=\"253\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-is-coming.png 1281w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-is-coming-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-is-coming-1024x436.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s made it very clear on what people should do and how they should navigate the page. This really helped lead to higher engagement and a higher conversion rate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>What their landing page did well:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><strong>Headline gets right to the point<\/strong>. <em>Harry\u2019s is coming<\/em>, <em>Be the first to know,<\/em> and <em>invite friends &amp; earn product<\/em>, are simple, but let the user know exactly what the page is all about with just a quick glance.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>It\u2019s followed by an explanation<\/strong>.Harry\u2019s did not choose to be too wordy. Instead, a brief explanation was able to help them get viral signups.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>They added visual appeal<\/strong>. Strategically chosen imagery draws in the eye and keeps people interested. They used an image of their razor for the initial page, and then added an image of a wooly mammoth on their referral page (great choice to get the referrer to ingrain their logo into their head).<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What strategies can you steal?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Like Harry\u2019s, you\u2019ll want to keep landing pages short and concise (which is true for all types of landing pages). It\u2019s even better if you are able to focus on one goal per page. By having the sign up and referral pages separate &#8211; they were able to get people to do both. If they would have asked for a referral on the splash page &#8211; it likely would not have been as successful.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><strong><em>Worth considering<\/em><\/strong><em>: A clear and uncluttered landing page is also more likely to be mobile responsive, which is important as an increasing number of users are accessing websites on mobile devices.\u00a0<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Easy sharing<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>If sharing the referral program is too complicated or time-consuming, users are less likely to do it. By providing easy sharing options, such as social media buttons or pre-written emails, users can quickly and easily share the program with their network. This is exactly why Harry\u2019s did it this way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s made their referral page easy by:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><strong>Giving multiple sharing options<\/strong>. Multiple sharing button options, all easy to find and access. Harry\u2019s seems to have added even more options as they went along. At one point they offered the referral link, Facebook, and Twitter. Eventually they even added in an email button.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-31164 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-sharing-options.png\" alt=\"Harry&#039;s sharing options\" width=\"322\" height=\"170\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-sharing-options.png 322w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-sharing-options-300x158.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 322px) 100vw, 322px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><strong>Displaying a pronounced referral link<\/strong>. The individual referral link is one of the first things someone will see.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Providing preset messages<\/strong>. Social media messages were preset so referrers didn\u2019t have to figure out what to say.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What strategies can you steal?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>With any type of referral program you run, easy sharing is key to its success. Harry\u2019s made this easy for users by providing preset messages for social sharing, and made the referral link easy to find for quick sharing.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The referral landing page in the scenario acts as the referrer dashboard as well. Upon signing up on the splash page, the user is automatically eligible to start referring. So, there is no need for signing up or entering your email again. The user can simply click a button to share, or snag their link and go.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><strong><em>Worth considering<\/em><\/strong><em>: Providing easy sharing options can improve the user experience and make the program more enjoyable for users. If the process of sharing the program is smooth and seamless, it can enhance the overall experience and increase the likelihood that users will participate in the program.<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Motivating tiered referral rewards<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-31165\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-reward-tiers.png\" alt=\"harry&#039;s referral program reward tiers\" width=\"1028\" height=\"154\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-reward-tiers.png 1028w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-reward-tiers-300x45.png 300w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-reward-tiers-1024x153.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1028px) 100vw, 1028px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harry&#8217;s got the reward structure right for a pre-launch program. At the time, no one had tried the product yet. But the buzz around it was real \u2014 and Harry&#8217;s was smart to use the product itself as the referral reward.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rewards worked because:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>They were attainable.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The first tier was just 5 referrals \u2014 easy enough that participation felt worthwhile from the start.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>They scaled.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The more referrals sent, the bigger the reward. Tiers at 5, 10, 25, and 50 referrals created natural progression.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>They led to multiple invites.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Reaching the next tier motivated people to refer more than one friend.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The top reward was worth it.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A full year of free blades at 50 referrals \u2014 over 200 people hit this tier, creating a group of super-advocates.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rewards acted as product samples.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Free products meant referrers got their first taste of Harry&#8217;s at no cost, hooking them before the product was even on sale.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What strategies can you steal?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Sometimes, a reward is the tipping point in getting someone to refer. If the reward isn\u2019t worth it, or if it seems unachievable, no one will participate. Harry\u2019s offered multiple <a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/milestone-referral-programs\/\">tiers of referral rewards<\/a>, so even after just a few referrals a reward was given.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s also chose to use their product as the reward. This worked really well for them, as it gave people the opportunity to try the product first, and hook them to come back to purchase later on. Plus, with enough referrals, a person can have the whole shaving system to start off.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><strong><em>Worth considering<\/em><\/strong><em>: Most people only refer 1-5 referrals after joining a referral program. If you plan on doing a tiered program, make the first reward both worth it and achievable.\u00a0<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gamified experience through a progress bar<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-31166\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/progress-bar-with-encouragement.png\" alt=\"progress bar with encouragement to refer more friends\" width=\"1592\" height=\"278\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/progress-bar-with-encouragement.png 1592w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/progress-bar-with-encouragement-300x52.png 300w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/progress-bar-with-encouragement-1024x179.png 1024w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/progress-bar-with-encouragement-1536x268.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1592px) 100vw, 1592px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harry&#8217;s referral page included a progress bar showing how close participants were to the next reward. As referrals came in, the bar filled in. The count was also tracked numerically underneath.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These visuals motivated referrers to keep going. &#8220;I only need two more to hit the next tier&#8221; is a completely different feeling than staring at a flat referral count with no context. The progress bar made the goal feel close \u2014 which it often was, especially at the lower tiers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>What strategies can you steal?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Adding elements of <a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/gamification-the-fun-referral-program\/\">gamification to a referral program<\/a> can make the program even more interesting to users. When users can see these visuals, it can motivate them to keep going. \u201cOh, I only need \u2018x\u2019 more to get to the next tier.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>By adding game-like elements to your referral program, such as points, badges, levels, or leaderboards, you can tap into your happy customers&#8217; intrinsic motivation and make referring more fun and rewarding. People are more likely to engage in an activity that they find enjoyable, and the prospect of earning rewards and recognition can further fuel their motivation. This may be why the Harry\u2019s program chose to use both a progress bar and the number tracker.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><strong><em>Worth considering<\/em><\/strong><em>: Gamification can make your referral program more engaging and fun, which can encourage more people to participate. By creating a game-like experience with rewards and points, people may be more likely to refer their friends and family to your business.<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Compelling referral message (and why it worked)<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-31167 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-tweet-message.png\" alt=\"harry&#039;s referral program tweet message\" width=\"606\" height=\"153\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-tweet-message.png 606w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-tweet-message-300x76.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 606px) 100vw, 606px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last piece that drove sharing was the pre-written message Harry&#8217;s gave referrers. The tweet example \u2014 &#8220;Can&#8217;t wait for @harrys to launch. I&#8217;m going to be shaving for free!&#8221; \u2014 worked because it made friends curious without over-explaining. Shaving for free? How? That&#8217;s enough to get someone to click.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But the deeper reason Harry&#8217;s messaging worked is in the referral page headline: &#8220;don&#8217;t leave your friends behind.&#8221; That&#8217;s not a reward pitch. It&#8217;s a prompt to do something generous. Referrers weren&#8217;t being asked to recruit \u2014 they were being invited to bring their friends along to something good.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the dynamic that separates programs people actually share from programs that feel transactional. When the message centers on what the friend gets \u2014 the access, the deal, the insider moment \u2014 the referrer feels like they&#8217;re doing their friend a favor, not monetizing a relationship. That&#8217;s the difference between a referral that spreads and one that sits.<br \/><\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By giving users a pre-filled message, Harry&#8217;s also kept the barrier to sharing as low as possible. Click, share, done.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><strong>What strategies can you steal?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s made sharing their product easy. By giving users a prefilled message, they kept the referral process as simple as possible. Plus, the referrer wasn&#8217;t cashing in on a friendship. They gave their friend access to something good (and new). That shift in framing changed how sharing feels, which changed how much sharing happens.<br \/><br \/>You can also use a similar message on an email form for the users. By allowing the user to click and share, without having to come up with a message on their own, you can increase your chances of getting a referral.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#d7dcda;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#F1f6f4;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><strong><em>Worth considering<\/em><\/strong><em>: People do not have to refer. So, you have to make the process as simple as possible, so they <\/em><strong><em>want<\/em><\/strong><em> to share. If a person feels like they have to jump through hoops, they likely won\u2019t participate (no matter how much they may like the potential reward).<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to design a program page like the Harry\u2019s referral program<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Part of the reason Harry\u2019s program worked so well is because it had a highly converting referral program page. Fortunately, a good referral software that handles tiered programs, like Referral Rock, will be able to help with this key aspect of the program. It will also help you with other goals, like <a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/referral-tracking\/\">referral tracking<\/a>, reward management, and reporting.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31168 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-full-page.png\" alt=\"harry&#039;s referral program full page\" width=\"648\" height=\"359\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-full-page.png 1101w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-full-page-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/harrys-referral-program-full-page-1024x568.png 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 648px) 100vw, 648px\" \/><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Harry\u2019s referral page was successful because it\u2026<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><strong>Provided eye-catching imagery<\/strong>. This may not seem as important as other aspects of the page. But the truth is, imagery can help keep people on the page longer. A well-designed referral program page should feature clear and engaging visuals that help to communicate your message and make the page more visually appealing. This might include images, infographics, or videos that highlight the benefits of your program. Or at least be able to build that connection between your brand and users (a fun version of your logo &#8211; like Harry\u2019s did).<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Use a compelling headline<\/strong>. People need to know what they have to do. The referral program page should feature a clear description of what they should do and it should drive them to your call-to-action.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Used social currency<\/strong>. Harry\u2019s added an element that showed the intrinsic benefits of sharing \u201c<em>don\u2019t leave your friends behind\u201d<\/em>. This type of message can make someone feel good for sharing something.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Provided explanation<\/strong>. Harry\u2019s provided a simple explanation of how the program works. It\u2019s important to clearly communicate how to share along with the benefits of doing so. This might include rewards or incentives that are available for successful referrals, as well as the benefits that the referred person will receive.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Provided multiple sharing options<\/strong>. They encouraged visitors to share with their friends and contacts, by making it as easy as possible to do so. They included social media sharing buttons with pre-filled messages that visitors can easily share with their networks.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Referral links were easy to find<\/strong>. A copyable referral link that referrers can share anywhere was up front and center. They did not make anyone go digging for their link.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Utilized gamifying objects<\/strong>. Harry\u2019s provided a motivating progress bar with how many referrals were needed for each reward, plus pictures of the rewards. This helped encourage users to refer multiple times.\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>Provided a prefilled and compelling message<\/strong>. This message is vital because it\u2019s what is sent to friends. When it\u2019s done right, it should make friends want to click and learn more.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to keep in mind when running your own program<\/h2>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harry&#8217;s set a high bar. Your program probably won&#8217;t go viral in the same way \u2014 but a well-designed referral program can still bring in a steady stream of new customers. A few things to think through:<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Is your product worth it?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> There needs to be genuine interest before a referral program can gain traction. Harry&#8217;s had a compelling value proposition from the start \u2014 quality razors at a lower price point. Before launching a program, make sure people actually want what you&#8217;re selling. Harry&#8217;s talked about what made their upcoming product great and found interested people to seed the program&#8217;s first cycle of sharing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Use <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/referral-software-is-better\/\"><b>referral software<\/b><\/a><b> to handle the operational work.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Software can automate reward fulfillment, run tiered programs, and include safeguards against referral fraud \u2014 especially important in a prelaunch that relies on collecting real emails. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Referral Rock<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> supports tiered programs and handles the operational complexity so you can focus on the product.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Decide on your reward structure upfront.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If referred friends need to make a purchase, consider setting the first reward tier at just one referral \u2014 this makes participation feel immediately achievable. Think about how rewards tie into the customer experience: Harry&#8217;s used coupons that drove referrers back to the full launched site, which worked well for a prelaunch context.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><b>Don&#8217;t treat it like a one-time campaign.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This is where Harry&#8217;s own story offers a caution. They ran a brilliant pre-launch program, then let it lapse after launch \u2014 and by their own admission, likely missed out on trackable referrals during that gap. A referral program isn&#8217;t a launch event. It&#8217;s an ongoing operation. Referrals happen continuously as you get new customers, so the program needs to keep running alongside the business. Build referral touchpoints into your standard customer experience \u2014 confirmation emails, post-service follow-ups, your website \u2014 so the program keeps rolling even when no one is actively thinking about it. Harry&#8217;s pre-launch showed what&#8217;s possible when you make sharing easy. Running it as a permanent operation is what captures that value over time.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Harry&#8217;s pre-launch worked because they got two things right that most programs get wrong. First, they made sharing feel generous \u2014 the &#8220;don&#8217;t leave your friends behind&#8221; message, the product-as-reward structure, the sense of giving friends early access. When a referral feels like a favor instead of a transaction, people do it more. Second, they designed for momentum: employee-seeded, tiered rewards, a viral loop that spread through existing trust.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lesson isn&#8217;t that you need a viral moment. It&#8217;s that the mechanics Harry&#8217;s used \u2014 low-friction sharing, attainable tiers, messaging centered on the friend&#8217;s experience \u2014 are replicable in any program. The part Harry&#8217;s didn&#8217;t get right (treating it as a campaign with an end date) is just as instructive.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Build a program with those mechanics baked in, run it continuously, and you won&#8217;t need a pre-launch event to see results.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><em>Inspired and ready for more <a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/customer-referral-program-ideas\/\">referral marketing ideas and tips?<\/a> We&#8217;ve got you covered.<\/em><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Harry&#8217;s pre-launch referral program generated 100,000 sign-ups in one week. Here&#8217;s what made it work \u2014 and what you can steal for your own program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":31169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[5922,5921],"class_list":["post-31149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-referral-marketing","tag-inspiration","tag-problem-aware"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"Jessica Huhn","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31149"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38878,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31149\/revisions\/38878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31169"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}