{"id":7884,"date":"2024-01-04T18:02:39","date_gmt":"2024-01-04T18:02:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/?p=7884"},"modified":"2025-04-25T13:05:38","modified_gmt":"2025-04-25T13:05:38","slug":"referral-marketing-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy","title":{"rendered":"Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps [Free Slides To Download]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you&#8217;re thinking of launching a refer a friend program but don&#8217;t know where to start, you need to put together a referral marketing strategy. Not only will it help you figure out how to begin, but it will also help you optimize as your referral program gets off the ground. In this guide, we\u2019ll show you how to put together a referral marketing strategy that&#8217;ll impress your team in 7 simple steps. We walk you through how to budget for a referral program, how to set targets and forecast your ROI, the best <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-rewards\">referral rewards<\/a> to motivate your referrers, and how to set up referral tracking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Plus! To simplify the creation of your referral marketing strategy, <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-free-slides\">download our free customizable slides<\/a>. Just insert your business details, and voil\u00e0 \u2013 you are ready to pitch your new referral strategy to your manager or present it to your team!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<embed src=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/embed-generate-campaign\" width=\"100%\" height=\"400px\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\/#Why_Is_Referral_Marketing_Effective\" title=\"Why Is Referral Marketing Effective?&nbsp;\">Why Is Referral Marketing Effective?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\/#Step-by-Step_Referral_Marketing_Strategy_Creation\" title=\"Step-by-Step Referral Marketing Strategy Creation\">Step-by-Step Referral Marketing Strategy Creation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\/#Referral_Marketing_Strategy_101_Tried-and-True_Practices\" title=\"Referral Marketing Strategy 101: Tried-and-True Practices\">Referral Marketing Strategy 101: Tried-and-True Practices<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\/#Wrapping_Up\" title=\"Wrapping Up&nbsp;\">Wrapping Up&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-is-referral-marketing-effective-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Is_Referral_Marketing_Effective\"><\/span>Why Is Referral Marketing Effective?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Try to remember the last time you were told about a cool product or service and immediately believed what you heard. Was it an ad? It could be. Yet, in most cases, people don\u2019t believe adverts that much. In terms of credibility, they don\u2019t get even close to recommendations from friends, family, or buddies from work. It\u2019s simple: you trust the people you know and their experiences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that\u2019s the biggest secret of a referral marketing strategy. It is based on personal connections and TRUST. Think of a cold sales call and a recommendation from your friend. Those two produce polar emotions. Even though, in both cases, you learn about the product\/service for the first time, a sales call is annoying, while a friend\u2019s recommendation is helpful and reliable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/what-is-referral-marketing\">referral marketing<\/a> always seems much more native than most of the other marketing strategies. Besides, referral programs are highly flexible and adjustable to almost any business. Let\u2019s take a glance at some of the major benefits every brand can get:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"840\" src=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-1024x840.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7958\" srcset=\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-1024x840.webp 1024w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-300x246.webp 300w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-767x629.webp 767w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-1536x1260.webp 1536w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-2048x1680.webp 2048w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-183x150.webp 183w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-100x82.webp 100w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-427x350.webp 427w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy-788x646.webp 788w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/benefits-of-referral-marketing-strategy.webp 1523w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-by-step-referral-marketing-strategy-creation\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step-by-Step_Referral_Marketing_Strategy_Creation\"><\/span>Step-by-Step Referral Marketing Strategy Creation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When satisfied clients sing your praises, they attract new audiences and build trust for your brand. Seems logical, right? But hoping that this will happen organically is probably the wrong tactic. No matter how good your product is, without a strategically designed referral marketing program, customers will mention you to their friends occasionally at most.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-establish-your-baseline-customer-acquisition-costs\">#1 Establish Your Baseline Customer Acquisition Costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s the first step of creating your referral marketing strategy? Figure out how much it costs for your business to get a new customer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-1024x484.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7957\" srcset=\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-1024x484.webp 1024w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-300x142.webp 300w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-768x363.webp 768w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-1536x726.webp 1536w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-2048x968.webp 2048w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-317x150.webp 317w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-100x47.webp 100w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-740x350.webp 740w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/easy-formulas-to-calculate-customer-acquisition-costs-referral-marketing-strategy-101-788x372.webp 788w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>By knowing these metrics, you\u2019ll set the right goals for your referral program. You will also be able to decide on the budget you can allocate to reward people for bringing in new customers. This is one of the essentials you have to determine before starting the referral campaign or even pitching the whole idea to your top management.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-establish-a-referral-funnel\">#2 Establish a Referral Funnel&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your next step will be to figure out who will participate in your referral programs. You have quite a few options:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Current customers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unconverted leads<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employees<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Partners<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Influencers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Affiliates<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The best part is that you can choose multiple groups of advocates and create a separate funnel based on the types of referrals. Won\u2019t it be too much of a hassle? It could be, but if you have the right software, your <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/\">referral program management<\/a> will be a no-brainer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Referral Factory, you can set multiple referral campaigns with different incentives, requirements, terms, etc. What about rewards? You can track them individually in a single dashboard, eliminating the stress and the need for synchronization.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<embed src=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/embed-generate-campaign\" width=\"100%\" height=\"400px\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-determine-what-constitutes-a-successful-aka-converted-referral\">#3 Determine What Constitutes a Successful (aka Converted) Referral<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Good news: you can forget about crossing your fingers and wondering if a lead will ever turn into a customer. One of the best things about a referral marketing strategy, apart from the <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/qualified-lead-generation-a-detailed-guide-of-tactics-tips-tools\">qualified lead generation<\/a>, is its pay-per-performance approach. Unlike with some other methods, you only reward your person referring (those who recommend your brand to others) when the person invited (i.e., their friend) converts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why referral marketing always brings you clients who are truly interested in your offer. Still, first, you have to define what a conversion (aka the successful referral) for your referral marketing program is. These metrics can be different:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Spending a certain amount with you<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Completing an X amount of orders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inviting X number of people<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Completing a demo<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Subscribing to your services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Staying with you for X time<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides, remember that you can use a combination of requirements. Still, the most important thing to keep in mind is BALANCE. Of course, you want to keep your conversions beneficial for your business. But the requirements have to be doable and not too complicated for your referral program participants. The key is to know your goals and keep your clients in mind. That\u2019s the best way to customize your campaign and make it effective.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-calculate-your-potential-roi-set-referral-program-targets\">#4 Calculate Your Potential ROI &amp; Set Referral Program Targets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s a quick review of what you can expect from a referral program based on the Referral Factory data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"439\" src=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-1024x439.webp\" alt=\"what roi can you expect from a referral program referral marketing strategy 101\" class=\"wp-image-7955\" style=\"width:760px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-1024x439.webp 1024w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-300x129.webp 300w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-767x329.webp 767w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-1536x659.webp 1536w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-2048x879.webp 2048w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-350x150.webp 350w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-100x43.webp 100w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-816x350.webp 816w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-referral-program-roi-788x338.webp 788w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s a general picture, of course. Your program might attract even more customers; maybe each of your existing clients will bring in 3 or more leads, or your conversion rate could soar to 40%.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter what, you have to do your calculations. Here are the basic metrics you have to keep in mind:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How many customers do you have?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What percentage might join your referral program?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How many leads can each person referring bring in?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What ROI do you expect?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also use our free <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/referral-calculator\">referral calculator<\/a> to<a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/referral-calculator\"> <\/a>check how many referrals your campaign can generate. Once you calculate your expected ROI, you can adjust your strategy accordingly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-choose-your-referral-rewards\">#5 Choose Your Referral Rewards&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A referral reward is a type of incentive businesses offer their existing customers for referring new people. The idea is the following: if you reward your customers for spreading the word about your brand, you\u2019ll drive both sales and engagement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s take a look at the rewards you can give:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83c\udf81 Cash<\/strong>. Cash is one of the most successful referral rewards ever. It&#8217;s attractive because it is tangible and can be used for a referral campaign of any size. Cash rewards are easy to automate, which makes it simpler to refer people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83c\udf81 Gift cards<\/strong>. Gift cards are a compelling and practical solution for referral rewards. There are many advantages for the business itself. For instance, compared to personalized rewards or experiences, gift cards can often be offered at a competitive price point, maximizing the ROI of your referral program. Besides, the selection of retailers and merchants is vast. So, gift cards cater to a variety of tastes and preferences. As you understand, it helps you target a bigger audience and increase the chances of reward satisfaction among both the person referring and the person invited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83c\udf81 Free products<\/strong>. This is the cherry on the cake. Literally, everybody likes free stuff. By giving customers something unique without them having to pay for it, you create a positive experience they won&#8217;t forget. In the end, happy customers become loyal fans. They trust you, stick with you, and spread the word about you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83c\udf81 Discounts<\/strong>. People really like getting discounts. When companies give special offers, they attract new customers and make the existing ones excited to tell their friends about the brand. As a result, businesses sell more and make clients feel connected and loyal. This is also one of the most common ways of getting an immediate engagement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83c\udf81 Charity donations.<\/strong> Your social responsibility commitment can be a great addition to your referral programs. Usually, what businesses do is offer their customers to donate their referral bonus. It can be a predetermined cause or the charity your clients choose. Charitable donations work especially well for NGOs, solar, and other sustainability-related niches. You\u2019d be surprised how many people will love this philanthropic element of your campaign. As a bonus, all the donations you make in the name of your referral program participants are tax-deductible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from the reward type, you have to consider different reward structures. Let\u2019s see some of the most popular options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Double-sided vs. single-sided campaigns.<\/strong> A double-sided program is a win-win when both a person referring and a person invited get a reward. A single-sided means that only one of them will get rewarded. Of course, incentivizing both parties proves to be a more effective option.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tiered rewards.<\/strong> In a referral program with tiered rewards, customers get different prizes based on how many friends they refer. The more friends they bring in, the better the rewards. For example, for 1 person converted, you get $5, whereas for 3 people \u2013 $20, and $35 for 5 people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commission-based rewards.<\/strong> That\u2019s exactly what it sounds like. With such campaigns, your person referring will get a commission for every person invited and converted. Usually, it would be a fixed percentage of the amount spent by their friends.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you start, make sure you\u2019ve checked what your competitors offer to their customers. This approach will help you in many ways: you&#8217;ll get to know typical <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-rewards\">referral rewards<\/a> in your niche and decide what to do to stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-choose-a-referral-tracking-mechanism\">#6 Choose a <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/referral-tracking\">Referral Tracking<\/a> Mechanism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracking your referral program&#8217;s success is key to making it shine. After all, you need to make sure you know who referred who so you can get those referral rewards off to the right people. There are different ways to do this. Let\u2019s check what you have at your disposal:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Referral links<\/strong>. This is one of the newest tracking mechanisms in referral marketing that\u2019s proved to be highly efficient. Links are easy to generate and track. Plus, you can add a personal touch to the messages you share. The best part is that you don\u2019t need to do anything yourself if you get proper <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">referral marketing software<\/a>. Think of it as your all-in-one referral tracking assistant. It automatically monitors clicks, conversions, and rewards. This is definitely the best way to get clear insights into what&#8217;s working and what&#8217;s not. Often, you can also find some extra perks. For example, Referral Factory allows you to build personalized landing pages. This means you can tweak your referral program without having to rely on a usually busy development team. That\u2019s what you call a plug-and-play solution built by marketers for marketers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Referral cards<\/strong>. It\u2019s a traditional, even a classic, way to place a referral message on physical cards that companies give customers to share with friends, colleagues, or family. Yet, this approach is only effective for <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-program-for-small-business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">small business referral programs<\/a> because as soon as you have over 50 clients, campaign tracking will get too complicated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/what-is-a-referral-code\"><strong>Referral codes<\/strong>.<\/a> It\u2019s another method used in referral campaigns. The idea is that people share their unique codes with their friends to get rewarded once they use them. Yet, this approach is not suitable for all types of businesses. Why? Referral codes require a digital checkout of some kind, so are best suited to eCommerce and won\u2019t work well for businesses with longer sales cycles. Besides, they mean that the person referring needs to do quite a lot of work to get their friend to the finish line: there is no personalized offer and no instructions. If you\u2019re still wondering if referral codes are right for your business, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=LXJgG0ljqTM&amp;t=10s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">watch this video on how referral codes work<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<embed src=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/embed-generate-campaign\" width=\"100%\" height=\"400px\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-decide-on-how-to-get-people-to-participate-in-your-referral-program\">#7 Decide on How to Get People to Participate in Your Referral Program<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you&#8217;ve built your program, it&#8217;s time to activate it and invite people to join! But how do you get them to share links and invite others? The answer is \u2026 promotion. This is a super important part of your referral marketing strategy! Yet, before we get into that, let\u2019s see the technical side of the question. How do people join? There are two main options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"option-1-opt-in-sign-up\">Option 1: Opt-in &amp; Sign-up<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the cautious approach when your potential person referring actively chooses to join the program by signing up and accepting your terms and conditions. This way, everything is clear. You&#8217;ve got their explicit consent to send them program updates and track their referrals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udc4d Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Compliance:<\/strong> Clear consent minimizes legal risks, especially if you are bound by GDPR or similar data privacy laws<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Engaged persons referring:<\/strong> Opt-in suggests higher motivation and participation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Targeted communication:<\/strong> You tailor messages to the specific person referring.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udc4e Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Slower launch:<\/strong> It takes time to get people signed up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Potentially lower participation:<\/strong> the approach requires extra effort from a person referring.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"option-2-auto-generated-links\">Option 2: Auto-Generated Links<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>This option accelerates the process slightly by creating <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/what-is-a-referral-link\">referral links<\/a> for your existing users. It&#8217;s easier and requires no additional effort from your customers, which boosts participation. Just think carefully about how you deliver these links.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udc4d Pros:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Faster rollout:<\/strong> You get quick and easy onboarding for a wider reach.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Potentially higher participation: <\/strong>Lower entry barrier can increase the number of referrals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Targeted links: <\/strong>You can still personalize links based on user data.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udc4e Cons:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Compliance considerations:<\/strong> You must ensure proper communication and opt-out options.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Potential user annoyance:<\/strong> Sending unsolicited links can backfire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>What else can you do to promote your referral program? Use a 360-degree approach when you engage all possible channels of promotion and communication. Of course, you can start with social media. But try to complement it with physical assets. Make sure to advertise your referral program in every physical location that matters. Create QR codes that people can scan and spread through your offices and the partner locations. And, consider using a newsletter or setting up an affiliate program.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that\u2019s not all. You can also use the following tactics:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Get your employees to mention the referral program.<\/strong> Your employees spend all day talking to customers, business networks, and other people engaged. Aren\u2019t they in the perfect position and moment to promote your referral program? You can even encourage your team to add the referral program to their email signature.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mention the referral program in your blogs<\/strong>. Check which pages bring you the most traffic. The next step is easy: just add your referral links (whether in a banner or a pop-up) and see what happens next.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Find influencers to participate<\/strong> <strong>in your program<\/strong>. Influencers and referral programs are a match made in digital heaven. First of all, they can advertise your program, showing people that they can trust your brand. If followers trust them, they trust everything they share.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Engage your sales and support team<\/strong>. When you ask customers for feedback, take the opportunity to ask them to casually refer your brand to others. This works well, especially if you receive positive online reviews. Train your sales and support teams to actively share the details about your referral programs with clients. It might take more effort, but the results can surprise you!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Want even more ideas? Check our guide on how to <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/how-to-get-referrals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">get referrals<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"referral-marketing-strategy-101-tried-and-true-practices\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Referral_Marketing_Strategy_101_Tried-and-True_Practices\"><\/span>Referral Marketing Strategy 101: Tried-and-True Practices<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To make your referral program even more effective, we recommend looking at (and actually applying!) the following best practices:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Make it easy to understand.<\/strong> The biggest enemy of marketing is complex, unclear language. If people have a hard time understanding your offers and rules, they will most likely lose interest in seconds. The key is to make the rules very clear and simple.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Stick to affordability<\/strong>. Some companies start by going all-in: they splurge on expensive vouchers and other big rewards. Remember that your referral marketing campaign has to be affordable and sustainable. Start small and grow it as your business expands.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Create a personalized experience<\/strong>. Personalization is not just a buzzword of our time. It is actually a very important trend that is becoming integral to any marketing campaign. Stick to that; make it as personal as possible. People will value your business even more when they see that you take time to praise your clients.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These approaches work well because they don&#8217;t push you to get thousands of leads right away. All you need is to take it slowly for both your business and your customers (the existing ones and those that will come from recommendations).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<embed src=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/embed-generate-campaign\" width=\"100%\" height=\"400px\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"wrapping-up\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wrapping_Up\"><\/span>Wrapping Up&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A referral marketing strategy may be the most cost-effective approach to grow your customer base and boost sales. As you can see, it doesn\u2019t take much time or budget. Still, if you want your referral program to be effective, you have to be strategic with your setup. The data collected by Referral Factory shows one simple thing: referral marketing works. And most of the time, it\u2019s even better than our clients expect.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter the size of your business, referral marketing works for all. Besides, your referral campaigns not only help your business grow but also make customers more loyal. When someone is happy with your product, they\u2019ll tell others about it. So, if you have a good reputation and start a referral program, your clients are likely to bring their friends in, boosting your growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, when you have the entire roadmap on how to develop a successful referral marketing strategy that works in just 7 steps, you&#8217;ve got only one thing to do: implement it! And, of course, don\u2019t forget to <a href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-free-slides\">download your customizable slideshow presentation<\/a> that will help you get a winning structure for your referral strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-1024x579.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7959\" srcset=\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-1024x579.webp 1024w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-300x170.webp 300w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-767x434.webp 767w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-1536x869.webp 1536w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-2048x1159.webp 2048w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-265x150.webp 265w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-100x57.webp 100w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-619x350.webp 619w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides-788x445.webp 788w, https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral-marketing-strategy-template-slides.webp 1299w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Best of luck!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you&#8217;re thinking of launching a refer a friend program but don&#8217;t know where to...","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7887,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[195],"class_list":["post-7884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-referral-marketing","tag-referral-marketing-strategy"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.1 (Yoast SEO v25.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Wondering how to get more customers? There&#039;s a simple answer: implement a referral marketing strategy. Learn how to do that in 7 easy steps.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps [Free Slides To Download]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Wondering how to get more customers? There&#039;s a simple answer: implement a referral marketing strategy. Learn how to do that in 7 easy steps.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Learn With Referral Factory\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thereferralfactory\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kirstysharman\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-01-04T18:02:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-25T13:05:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"650\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kirsty Sharman\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@kirstycarrot\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@referralfctry\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kirsty Sharman\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kirsty Sharman\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/41c1a707a1859239db8b32e974055b0b\"},\"headline\":\"Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps [Free Slides To Download]\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-04T18:02:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-25T13:05:38+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\"},\"wordCount\":2948,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"Referral Marketing Strategy\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Referral Marketing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\",\"name\":\"How to Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-04T18:02:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-25T13:05:38+00:00\",\"description\":\"Wondering how to get more customers? There's a simple answer: implement a referral marketing strategy. Learn how to do that in 7 easy steps.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":650,\"caption\":\"referral marketing strategy guide how to\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps [Free Slides To Download]\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/\",\"name\":\"Learn With Referral Factory\",\"description\":\"Learn About Referral Marketing from the Experts.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"Referral Factory Blog\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Referral Factory\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/referral-factory-learn-logo-350x100-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/referral-factory-learn-logo-350x100-1.png\",\"width\":350,\"height\":100,\"caption\":\"Referral Factory\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thereferralfactory\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/referralfctry\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/referral-factory\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ReferralFactory\",\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@referral.factory\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/41c1a707a1859239db8b32e974055b0b\",\"name\":\"Kirsty Sharman\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/84dba446342744849b18d99794b474e0f4e4629372384d6c489c7e7092285f02?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/84dba446342744849b18d99794b474e0f4e4629372384d6c489c7e7092285f02?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kirsty Sharman\"},\"description\":\"Product Builder \u2022 Growth Marketer \u2022 Founder @ https:\/\/referral-factory.com \u2022 I also write for @thenextweb and @socialmedia2day\u2022 Ask me how to get more referrals \ud83e\udd29\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kirstysharman\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kirstysharman\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/kirstycarrot\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ReferralFactory\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/author\/kirstysharmangmail-com\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps","description":"Wondering how to get more customers? There's a simple answer: implement a referral marketing strategy. Learn how to do that in 7 easy steps.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps [Free Slides To Download]","og_description":"Wondering how to get more customers? There's a simple answer: implement a referral marketing strategy. Learn how to do that in 7 easy steps.","og_url":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy","og_site_name":"Learn With Referral Factory","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thereferralfactory","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kirstysharman","article_published_time":"2024-01-04T18:02:39+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-04-25T13:05:38+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":650,"url":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Kirsty Sharman","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@kirstycarrot","twitter_site":"@referralfctry","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kirsty Sharman","Est. reading time":"14 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy"},"author":{"name":"Kirsty Sharman","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/41c1a707a1859239db8b32e974055b0b"},"headline":"Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps [Free Slides To Download]","datePublished":"2024-01-04T18:02:39+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-25T13:05:38+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy"},"wordCount":2948,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp","keywords":["Referral Marketing Strategy"],"articleSection":["Referral Marketing"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy","url":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy","name":"How to Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp","datePublished":"2024-01-04T18:02:39+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-25T13:05:38+00:00","description":"Wondering how to get more customers? There's a simple answer: implement a referral marketing strategy. Learn how to do that in 7 easy steps.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/referral_marketing_strategy.webp","width":1500,"height":650,"caption":"referral marketing strategy guide how to"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/referral-marketing-strategy#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Develop a Referral Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps [Free Slides To Download]"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#website","url":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/","name":"Learn With Referral Factory","description":"Learn About Referral Marketing from the Experts.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#organization"},"alternateName":"Referral Factory Blog","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#organization","name":"Referral Factory","url":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/referral-factory-learn-logo-350x100-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/referral-factory-learn-logo-350x100-1.png","width":350,"height":100,"caption":"Referral Factory"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thereferralfactory","https:\/\/x.com\/referralfctry","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/referral-factory","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ReferralFactory","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@referral.factory"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/41c1a707a1859239db8b32e974055b0b","name":"Kirsty Sharman","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/learn.referral-factory.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/84dba446342744849b18d99794b474e0f4e4629372384d6c489c7e7092285f02?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/84dba446342744849b18d99794b474e0f4e4629372384d6c489c7e7092285f02?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kirsty Sharman"},"description":"Product Builder \u2022 Growth Marketer \u2022 Founder @ https:\/\/referral-factory.com \u2022 I also write for @thenextweb and @socialmedia2day\u2022 Ask me how to get more referrals \ud83e\udd29","sameAs":["https:\/\/referral-factory.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kirstysharman","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kirstysharman","https:\/\/x.com\/kirstycarrot","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ReferralFactory"],"url":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/author\/kirstysharmangmail-com"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7884","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7884"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7884\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11157,"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7884\/revisions\/11157"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7887"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7884"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7884"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/referral-factory.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7884"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}