If your growth depends on word-of-mouth and online reviews, a structured referral program is one of the most reliable ways to bring in new, high-intent customers without relying on ads.
This guide gives you a plug-and-play referral program template you can fill in, plus practical examples for gyms, salons, wellness studios, clinics, and SaaS businesses.
You can paste this template into your SOPs, referral software, or CRM, customize a few fields, and launch a program that consistently sends new customers and reviews your way.
Key Takeaways
- A strong referral program follows a clear structure: who can refer, who qualifies, what rewards apply, and how sharing works.
- Programs perform best when rewards are simple, margins are checked upfront, and the offer can be understood in under 15 seconds.
- The highest-performing referral moments happen right after a great service, visible result, booking, or positive review.
- Easy sharing—SMS, email, QR codes, and one-tap buttons—has a bigger impact on conversions than reward size.
- Tracking reach, claims, and conversion rates monthly is essential; small, consistent optimizations drive long-term growth.
- Real examples (gym, salon, SaaS) show that adapting the same template to different business models is straightforward and scalable.
- Using referral software centralizes tracking, automates rewards, and ties referrals to reviews, making the whole system easier to maintain.
What Is a Referral Program Template?
A referral program template is a simple framework that spells out who can refer, who gets rewarded, what the reward is, and how everything is tracked. Instead of designing a new campaign every time you want referrals, you follow the same set of rules.
Most successful programs—whether they’re one-time campaigns or always-on systems—share the same structure: clear goals, eligibility rules, rewards on both sides, an easy share method, and basic fraud protection.
Who This Referral Program Template Is For
This template is built for brands that sell ongoing services and care about long-term customers, not one-off transactions.
You’ll get the most value from it if you:
- Run a local service business such as a gym, salon, spa, studio, wellness center, or medical clinic.
- Manage a membership or subscription model (fitness, wellness, coworking, lessons, coaching).
- Operate a SaaS or digital product that needs a steady stream of qualified sign-ups and reviews.
- Own multiple locations and want one referral system rolled out everywhere with small local tweaks.
Core Building Blocks of a Referral Program
Strong referral programs share the same core parts. Before you copy the template, make sure you understand how each piece works together.
- Objective – What business result should this program drive?
- Eligible referrers – Who is allowed to refer and earn rewards?
- Eligible referees – Which new customers count as valid referrals?
- Reward structure – What do referrers and referees receive, and when?
- Share method – How people actually refer (link, card, QR code, SMS, email).
- Fraud and abuse rules – Simple guardrails that keep the program fair.
- Launch plan and channels – Where you promote the program so people see it.
- Success metrics and review cadence – What you track and how often you adjust.
Referral Program Template (Copy and Paste)
Paste this into a Google Doc, Notion page, or internal playbook. Replace the text in braces { } with details that match your business, margins, and tools.
Program Overview
Program name: {Example: “Friends Bring Friends”}
Program summary: {Example: “Members share a unique link. When a friend becomes a paying client, both receive a reward.”}
Objective
Write one clear goal so you can track if the program works.
- Gym: {Sign 50 new memberships in 90 days}
- Massage clinic: {Book 40 first-time appointments per month}
- Salon: {Increase high-ticket color and treatment clients by 25% this quarter}
- Wellness spa: {Sell 100 new service packages this quarter}
- SaaS: {Add 80 paying accounts with at least 2 months of retention}
Eligible Referrers
Define exactly who can participate. The clearer this section is, the fewer disputes you’ll have later.
- {All active members with a billing method on file}
- {Clients who purchased at least one service in the last 3 months}
- {Email or SMS subscribers who have booked before}
- {Staff members, if you want an internal employee-to-customer referral track}
Eligible Referees
Who counts as a valid referral? Decide this up front to avoid gray areas.
- {New clients only, with no visit or purchase history}
- {First-time customers booking a service over $50}
- {New members who sign a contract of at least 3 months}
- {SaaS accounts that convert from trial to paid and stay active for at least 30 days}
Reward Structure
Spell out what both sides receive and when they receive it. Make sure the reward size still leaves room for profit after costs.
Referrer reward options
- {Free group class credit after each successful referral}
- {20% off the next service or month of membership}
- {One free month when 3 referrals convert within 6 months}
- {Store credit or gift card added to the account}
- {Branded merch such as a hoodie, yoga mat, or water bottle}
Referee reward options
- {Intro offer price on the first visit or month}
- {Free upgrade such as aromatherapy, gloss, or red-light add-on}
- {Free trial week for memberships or SaaS accounts}
- {Account credit applied to a second visit if they rebook}
How People Share
Make sharing fast. The fewer steps, the more referrals you’ll see.
- {Unique referral link and QR code on receipts, emails, and texts}
- {Pre-written SMS and social DMs customers can send in two taps}
- {In-app or portal referral page with one-tap share buttons}
- {Printed referral cards with a custom code that connects to the referrer}
Example: On-Site Referral Pop-Up
This short clip shows a referral pop-up in action, triggered at the right moment in the customer journey.
The copy is short, the reward is clear, and there’s a single simple action. The goal is to make sharing take seconds, not minutes.
Fraud and Abuse Rules
Keep this section short and clear so you protect the program without scaring people off.
- {One reward per household or per new client}
- {No self-referrals; matching name, email, or phone cancels the reward}
- {Referral counts only after payment is completed and any refund period ends}
- {Manual review of suspicious activity once per week}
Launch Plan and Channels
People can’t join a program they never see. Choose a small set of channels and repeat the message consistently.
- {Email announcement to all active clients and members}
- {Front-desk script so staff mention the program after every great visit}
- {Post-service thank-you email or SMS that includes the referral link}
- {Instagram Stories, Facebook posts, and a banner on your website}
- {Printed posters in waiting areas and on mirrors or doors}
Success Metrics and Review Cadence
Set up a simple dashboard before launch so you’re not guessing later.
- {Number of referrals sent per week}
- {Referral conversion rate (referrals sent vs. new paying clients)}
- {Average order value or membership length of referred vs. non-referred customers}
- {Number of new Google reviews from referred clients}
- {Monthly review of results with one change tested each month}
Referral Program Examples You Can Adapt
Use these ready-made examples as starting points. Adapt the numbers to your margins, your capacity, and your typical customer value.
Gym or Studio Referral Template
Goal: Add 50 new active memberships in the next 90 days.
- Who can refer: All members with an active membership.
- Who counts: New members who sign a 3-month agreement and pay their first month.
- Referrer reward: One free month for every 3 referrals that convert, plus entries into a quarterly prize draw.
- Referee reward: Intro rate on the first month plus a free group class.
- Share method: Personal referral link in SMS and email, QR code on in-club posters.
- Extra: Ask referred members to leave a Google review after their second week.
Salon or Spa Referral Template
Goal: Grow high-ticket services (color, extensions, treatments, packages) by 25% in 6 months.
- Who can refer: Clients who visited in the last 6 months.
- Who counts: New clients booking a service worth at least $80.
- Referrer reward: $20 service credit for each new high-ticket client.
- Referee reward: Free gloss, treatment upgrade, or add-on with the first visit.
- Share method: Printed cards with a referral code at checkout plus automated email and SMS with the link.
- Extra: Trigger a “thank you + review” message 24 hours after the appointment.
SaaS or Subscription Referral Template
Goal: Acquire 80 new paying accounts with at least 2 months of retention.
- Who can refer: Paying customers with an active subscription.
- Who counts: New accounts that complete onboarding and pay for at least one billing cycle.
- Referrer reward: Account credit or percentage discount for each paying referral, with a higher perk at 3, 5, and 10 referrals.
- Referee reward: Discounted first month or extended free trial.
- Share method: In-app referral page with one-click share links for email, SMS, and social.
Referral Program Walk-Through
Here’s how to move from a blank page to a live referral program that fits your margins, your capacity, and your tech stack.
Map the Customer Journey and “Shareable Moments”
Start by finding the moments when customers naturally feel happy with your service. Those are the best times to ask for a referral and a review.
- Right after a great service or session
- After a visible result (new haircut, body transformation, pain relief, business growth)
- After a 5-star review or positive feedback message
- Right after a purchase, booking, or contract renewal
Add your referral link or QR code to the thank-you email, SMS, or on-site materials that appear at those moments.
Draft Incentives and Check the Math
Your reward should feel generous without turning profitable customers into loss leaders.
- Calculate average order value and gross margin for referred customers.
- Decide the maximum reward you can offer while staying within your target margin.
- Run a quick scenario: if 20% of referrals convert, does the program still pay off?
Adjust your discounts, credits, and freebies until the numbers work for both the customer and your P&L.
Write Clear Program Copy
Your landing page, email, and SMS should explain the offer in under 15 seconds.
- One headline: “Invite a Friend, Both of You Earn Rewards”
- One short paragraph that explains who can join, what they receive, and when.
- One primary button or link that leads to the referral form or portal.
Use plain language and avoid legal jargon on the customer-facing page. Keep the detailed rules in a separate “Terms” section.
Example: Referral Email in a Real Inbox
Here’s how a referral email can look in a Gmail inbox so it stands out, stays clear, and is easy to forward.
Notice how the subject line, preview text, and one primary call-to-action all reinforce the same simple promise: invite a friend, both of you get rewarded.
Configure Your Referral Software
Manually tracking referral codes in spreadsheets gets messy fast. A referral platform keeps everything in one place and automates the dull parts.
- Connect your CRM or POS so referrals are tied to real purchases or visits.
- Set the rules once: who qualifies, what triggers a reward, and when to pay it out.
- Turn on email and SMS automations for invites, reminders, and reward notifications.
See Referral Tracking in Action
This short animation shows how a referral dashboard updates as new people are reached and new claims are verified.
Watching these numbers move in real time makes it easier to see whether changes to your offer, timing, or channels are actually working.
Soft Launch to Your Best Customers
Start with a small group of loyal clients before you turn the program on for everyone.
- Invite your most engaged customers first.
- Watch how many links they share and how many referrals convert.
- Ask where they got stuck and what they would change.
Fix the issues they surface before you roll the program out to your full list.
Full Launch and Ongoing Optimization
Once the soft launch performs well, push the program across all active channels.
- Email everyone who fits your “eligible referrer” criteria.
- Train front-desk and sales staff to mention the program at checkout.
- Add the referral call-to-action to receipts, booking confirmations, and thank-you pages.
- Post reminders on social at least once a month.
Review results every month. Test one change at a time—reward size, copy, timing, or channels—and keep the versions that bring in stronger customers and more reviews.
Using Referrizer to Run Your Referral Program
This template gives you the structure. A tool like Referrizer handles the repetitive parts so your team can focus on service, not spreadsheets.
- Automated tracking – Every link, code, and referral is logged automatically.
- Built-in SMS and email – Invite customers to refer, send reminders, and notify them when rewards unlock.
- Integrations with popular systems – Connects with tools local gyms, salons, and studios already use.
- Real-time reporting – See which locations, staff, and offers turn referrals into long-term clients.
When referrals, reviews, and messaging live in one platform, it becomes much easier to scale what works across every location.
Final Thoughts
You now have a complete referral program template, several industry-specific examples, and a straightforward process for launching and improving your program over time.
Fill in the braces { }, plug the template into your referral software, and let your happiest customers and members send the next wave of business—and reviews—through your doors.
FAQ
What is a referral program?
A referral program is a structured way to reward existing customers for bringing in new ones. Instead of relying on random word-of-mouth, you set clear rules for who can refer, who qualifies as a new customer, what rewards apply, and how referrals are tracked. The goal is to turn happy clients into a consistent acquisition channel, not a one-time accident.
How do you set up a referral program?
Start by defining the basics: your main goal, who can refer, who counts as a valid referral, and what rewards you can offer without breaking your margins. Then decide how customers will share (link, QR code, email, SMS, pop-up) and add simple fraud rules. Finally, configure your referral software, launch to a small group first, and track key metrics like referrals sent, conversions, and new revenue each month.
How do referral programs fit into inbound marketing?
Referral programs sit alongside content, SEO, and email as part of your inbound engine. Helpful content attracts people, your service or product converts them, and referrals turn satisfied customers into a steady source of warm leads. Because referred clients often leave strong reviews and stay longer, a good referral program strengthens both acquisition and retention inside your broader inbound strategy.
