{"id":38465,"date":"2025-01-02T11:05:59","date_gmt":"2025-01-02T16:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/?p=38465"},"modified":"2025-01-02T12:37:24","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T17:37:24","slug":"optimizing-the-referred-friend-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/optimizing-the-referred-friend-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Optimize The Referral Experience \u2013 Don\u2019t Forget The Friend!"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Many referral programs put a lot of focus into the sharer experience, but forget about what the referred friend is going to see \u2013 or don\u2019t think much about the friend\u2019s side at all. That\u2019s one of the biggest mistakes you can make.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Forgetting about the friend experience is one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/mistakes-that-kill-referral-programs\/\">most common killers of a referral program.<\/a> Even if your program gets lots of shares, you won\u2019t see those new customers you were hoping for if newly referred leads aren\u2019t compelled enough to click and convert,<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Sometimes, people don\u2019t realize how to create the best possible friend experience. But don\u2019t worry \u2013 we\u2019re sharing what works based on our expertise and the thousands of referral programs we\u2019ve helped brands build.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The friend experience: An overview<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>You can divide any referral program into two parts \u2013 the member (sharer) journey and the referral (referred friend) journey. Today, we\u2019re focusing on the referred friend\u2019s role.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>As you can see here in our Referral Funnel, the friend\u2019s journey starts when they receive a shared message from the member (AKA their peer, the sharer).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Your objective? Convince the friend to click, then convert.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXdyPt1x3zlDkGOe_282tEfjocqbr880plHFZLm5khqj2vL5fFs_vlouWS4wck_bg0rG1mWlipxx3dUzyWlmFS62zcFsSsBdITtw1tYZOZmf00KewcJh6KiGmlAoYwSBe62eRRVFPg?key=dgj1spBtj8aN8C8zQJ5hyNnL\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/leading-indicators-referral-program-success\/\"><em>Learn more about the Referral Funnel here.\u00a0<\/em><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Here are the steps the friend goes through:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Shared Message<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>After they read the message, the friend decides if they want to click on the referral link.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Reach<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Once the friend clicks on the link, they end up on one of your webpages (the friend landing page) where they can learn more about your brand.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>The friend reads the info you\u2019ve provided on the landing page, and decides if they want to convert \u2013 buy, fill out a lead form, request a demo, etc.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Referral<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>If they convert, the friend is counted as a Referral. Congratulations!<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3 keys to an awesome friend experience<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>You\u2019re familiar with the referred friend\u2019s journey, and you know your objectives. Now, here are the three vital pieces to creating the best experience for referred friends:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li><strong>The reward:<\/strong> What\u2019s in it for the friend?<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>The share message:<\/strong> Introduce your brand and what it can do for them. Convince them to click the referral link.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>The friend landing page: <\/strong>Make them feel like a VIP after they click, and get that conversion!<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Let\u2019s dive into these crucial elements below, with everything you need to optimize them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. The reward<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Remember your goal \u2013 get the friend to click, then convert. One of the best ways to get them interested? Sweeten the deal with an exclusive friend reward \u2013 an offer they\u2019ll see prominently both in the referral message and on the landing page.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Too many businesses don\u2019t reward the friend in their referral program and focus solely on rewards for the sharer. Big mistake! The friend won\u2019t be very motivated to take action if there\u2019s nothing in it for them (or if you don\u2019t clearly tell them what\u2019s on offer).\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The friend reward is usually a deciding factor in whether someone clicks \u2013 and becomes a converted referral. (Not offering a reward for the friend yet? This is a good time to start!)\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A clear friend reward makes your business offer look way more compelling. Since there\u2019s a reason to take action, the friend is much more likely to click on the message their peers send, and is ultimately more likely to become your customer. They\u2019re also super thankful that their friend cared enough to send them the VIP offer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>The reward should incentivize the friend to move forward and take the next step with your company.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>What to offer as your friend reward? Anything that will make the friend feel like a VIP, and that will create a good reason for the friend to buy, sign up, schedule a demo, or otherwise convert.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>\u00a0In most cases, we recommend a friend reward related to your business, such as credits towards the purchase, discounts, free products or services, or upgrades. Of course, gift cards can also work well, especially if you\u2019re already giving a gift card to the referrer and want the rewards to be similar.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#a1d1de;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#bbebf8;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><em>If you&#8217;re already using referral rewards to inspire friends to make a purchase, but aren&#8217;t getting the desired clicks and referrals, it might be worth increasing the reward&#8217;s value or adjusting it to align more closely with your business. This could mean offering store credit, discounts, free products or services, or an upgrade.<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. The referral message<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>As we covered earlier, the referred friend\u2019s journey starts when they receive a <a href=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/referral-messaging\/\">shared message (or referral message)<\/a> from their peer. So, creating the best friend experience starts with optimizing the message the friend receives.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The referral message\u2019s goal is to increase your reach, or how many people click on referral links to visit your brand. That message has to be compelling enough to earn the click.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Sharers will send the message to their friends via social media, email, SMS, or by copying and pasting a link. This message is the first introduction the friend has to your business, so it should be engaging enough to prompt the friend to take action.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"su-note\"  style=\"border-color:#a1d1de;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#bbebf8;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;\"><em>This message is sent by the sharer and often written from the sharer\u2019s perspective. But you (the brand) will write the message and send it on the sharer\u2019s behalf. This way, the sharer won\u2019t miss any important details you want the friend to know, and won\u2019t spend loads of time trying to figure out what to write.<\/em><\/div><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>If you\u2019re seeing lots of sharing but not enough clicks, that means potential referrals are seeing the shared message but aren\u2019t motivated enough to engage with it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Your message must provide referred friends with a compelling reason to click and discover more about you.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>What unique value do you offer that addresses their needs, or that can improve their lives?\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>What sets you apart from the competition?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>The best referral messages give referrals a taste of your brand, what you offer, and the rewards\/discounts they&#8217;ll receive if they purchase.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXdwb-cjmdgSOZ6r5de9I9C93EqZk3ZedN2_qbquVnV4q_m-ENyx6M-AZpOEH1k0dZqqMP5Y0dlmYwgwUtyxC82o9ypNXKG9kMAidmX0_oBdr0zFGAdP6tsM1QsT8fvO_oJLtEh7Nw?key=dgj1spBtj8aN8C8zQJ5hyNnL\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>As you write (or rewrite) your share message, consider these aspects:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Will the message resonate with the referred friend?\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Does it clearly state the benefits for the friend \u2013 the referral reward? (Make the reward prominent \u2013 it\u2019s best to lead with it in the message\u2019s headline, or display it in bigger or bolder text.)\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Does it emphasize the advantages of your business (why the referred friend should be interested)?\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Do you mention the referrer\u2019s name?<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Have you avoided marketing jargon? (Would the sharer actually say this to a friend?)<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Is it to-the-point, without too much \u201cfluff?\u201d (Don\u2019t overload the message; stick to the most valuable essentials.)<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Are you clear about the call-to-action (CTA) \u2013 what you want the friend to do next?<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li><strong>BONUS: <\/strong>Is it written from the sharer\u2019s point of view?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Also, think about your customer journey as you refine your message. This journey is no different with referred friends, even if the trust they place in their peer makes them more inclined to buy.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Are the products or services you offer impulse buys (like clothing, jewelry, snacks, and many other ecommerce products)? Or do they generally involve lots of research and consideration before buying (like software, solar panels, or home services)?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>If your industry is high-consideration, encourage friends to learn more, schedule a consult, or sign up for a trial \u2013 don\u2019t ask them to buy right away, or else that may discourage a click.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Of course, if you\u2019re selling impulse-buy products, encouraging them to \u201cbuy now\u201d or \u201cshop now\u201d is fine.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXd_BhpU-q0a_c7WD8qtO0tCcgZGNlXQfI0w5fov7jpjYy43FEL8f_wWVmvDKgKol33JyIUVgyCIJ-wmQbar6OEzmW20vPNKFd7KlgfHq2jNnf84t5K5wduRBzqcFotJG_mo_ZH-TA?key=dgj1spBtj8aN8C8zQJ5hyNnL\" alt=\"\" width=\"311\" height=\"700\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. The friend landing page<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>What happens when the friend clicks on the referral link? The page you send them to (the landing page) plays a crucial role in converting referred leads into customers.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>It&#8217;s important for this page to make a great first impression of your brand and provide clear guidance on how to move forward with your brand.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Keep in mind that friends are just starting to learn about your business. <strong>The landing page needs to connect to, and expand on, the info they got in the referral message.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Don\u2019t direct friends to a generic page \u2013 such as the homepage, a Contact Us form, a Demo form, or the checkout page \u2013 without any reasons they should be interested or connections to the sharer.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Directing referrals to generic pages can create a disjointed and confusing experience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>If the messaging on the landing page doesn\u2019t align with the shared message, or is unclear, this can leave friends feeling unvalued and can lead to a decrease in conversion rates.<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>It can also be perplexing for a referral to click a link and land directly on a homepage, as they may not know what actions to take next.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>If friends click on a referral link and find themselves on a confusing page, or are simply dropped onto the homepage, they may feel discouraged. This uncertainty can lead them to doubt their decision, ultimately resulting in missed conversion opportunities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Instead, you want to create a seamless, tailored experience for referred friends. A personalized landing page is all it takes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>\u00a0After they click the referral link, present them with a tailored page that:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Links them to the sharer (\u201cYour friend Mica sent you $25!\u201d)<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Highlights the advantages of your brand (why it matters to them)<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Presents the referral offer, and shows that it will automatically be applied if they move forward (encouraging them to take action)<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Features a straightforward call to action (making it easy to proceed)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXfiLYfyLW33TgtFELb7UcqlXvhjdHJLMygE4e2ne7Ui2_ITR2VZDnlDSnMyhqVrKlcJ8hH2kZqBqQnoavSw76SSdqi_01J2sXGXVoVHvUkf1gjlQcsNUgmeiA7msBvoBA1zRj3vKw?key=dgj1spBtj8aN8C8zQJ5hyNnL\" alt=\"\" width=\"685\" height=\"385\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Keep in mind that this audience is different from your usual ones. By using a customized referral page, you can take advantage of the trust that people have in their friends, giving you an edge over standard landing pages.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>If you\u2019d prefer a pop-up on an existing page, you can go that route as well. With the pop-up, inform friends that they have received an exclusive discount from someone they know, which has already been applied to their cart.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Regardless of the route you choose, ensure smooth transitions and make the instructions clear. Make sure they know that the reward has been applied, and confirm that they are connected to the correct referrer.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Referral Rock\u2019s product team has designed referral page templates with these best practices built-in, so for the most seamless friend experience:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Here\u2019s more details on the new referral page templates:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n<li>Immediately show referrals what\u2019s in it for them (why they should care)<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Personalize the experience based on the person sharing (dynamic fields change based on who is sharing the page, showing friends that their peer sent an exclusive offer)<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Quickly customize text and logos while maintaining professional quality<\/li>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<li>Create experiences that work equally well on mobile and all devices<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-38468 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-4.png\" alt=\"referral rock referral page template\" width=\"699\" height=\"444\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-4.png 2560w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-4-300x191.png 300w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-4-1024x650.png 1024w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-4-1536x976.png 1536w, https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-4-2048x1301.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 699px) 100vw, 699px\" \/><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Create the best friend experience possible<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Now you know why the friend experience is just as important to your referral program as the sharer experience.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>For the most referral program conversions, you want a seamless experience for friends, with the reward, the referral message and the landing page all playing roles. Aim for the following steps:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>1. The friend hears about your business from their peer, the sharer, through the referral message.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>2. They see a super-motivating reward<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>3. They click on the referral link to discover more about your brand \u2013 and how to get the reward.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>4. They navigate through a customized referral page that:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Clearly outlines the advantages of your brand (highlighting why it matters to them\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>Mentions the friend who referred them (establishing a connection and minimizing confusion\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>Summarizes the referral reward (encouraging them to take action)\r\n\r\n<\/li>\r\n<li>Features a straightforward call to action (making it easy to proceed)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Even if your referral program gets lots of shares, you won\u2019t see new customers if newly referred leads aren\u2019t compelled enough to click and convert. Here&#8217;s how to create the best possible friend experience for your program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":30160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[5985,5998],"class_list":["post-38465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-referral-marketing","tag-key-takeaways","tag-_pov"],"acf":{"takeaway_1":"After people share you through the referral program, the referred friend experience begins. Your goal is to get the friend to click, then convert.","takeaway_2":"The three essential parts of the friend experience are the reward, the message sharers send to friends, and the page friends land on after clicking the referral link.","takeaway_3":"Personalize the friend experience, tie it back to the peer who referref them, show your brand value to convince them to take action, and offer a solid reward for moving forward with you."},"modified_by":"Jessica Huhn","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38465","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\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38465"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38524,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38465\/revisions\/38524"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referralrock.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}