Let’s imagine that a potential customer is in need of a certain type of product, but they have no idea where to look for such an item or which brand would be best to buy from. What’s the solution? Ask a friend. That’s how referral marketing begins.
Referral marketing is gaining popularity, but it is still not a go-to solution for many businesses. This is a pity, because 92% of consumers believe in referrals from people they know well. As it is also known by some, word-of-mouth marketing is very easy to implement and it won’t cost you a lot of money either.
To make the most of this type of marketing, though, you will need a well-tailored referral program. And we will tell you how to run one with EarlyParrot!
But let’s start from the very beginning, which is why you even need referrals.
Why should you start a referral program?
Creating a referral program can help you acquire new customers relatively quickly and cheaply. Information spreads very quickly between customers, and if you promise rewards in return then it will happen even more so. Research shows that customers who visit your website thanks to recommendations will spend 25% more money there, and the probability of them recommending you to someone else is three times higher than in the case of other customers. As you can see, referral marketing not only produces results but also builds trust.
Such solutions are also relatively easy to monitor. Thanks to using an appropriate tool, such as EarlyParrot, you can track all referrals and see how they affect sales. You can have all of the most important KPIs at hand, and you can analyze the performance of your program whenever you want.
What exactly is a referral program?
In short, it is a system of rewarding customers for recommending your store. Your existing and future clients will gain rewards for making an appropriate number of referrals according to your set criteria. Your clients can share referral links or codes with their friends or family, who then visit and use your site. That’s basically it: rewards are distributed afterwards, and you gain another client.
One of the most popular programs of this type that you may have heard about is Uber: you share a code with your friends and both of you can save some money on your next rides.
In order for the program to fulfill its task, you need to choose the right incentives. It is crucial to the success of such a program. In the case of Uber saving money is the reward, but it is not always the best solution. Sometimes it’s better to offer a product or service as a reward. The situation depends on the type of business and, of course, your target audience.
How can EarlyParrot help with your referral program?
EarlyParrot is a referral marketing platform that will improve the implementation of your program. Its installation is simple and only takes a moment, only requiring a computer and 15 minutes. You can easily implement a program into current purchasing processes. You don’t have to change anything, so customers can shop and log in as before. One difference will be an opportunity to participate in the referral program. Both new and existing customers will be informed about the possibility to join the program, receiving a notification with this information.
After successful implementation, you can set up a reward system of when, to whom, and what will be delivered. It is up to you what and how referrers and referrals will be rewarded for their cooperation.
Another important feature of this platform is the ability to brand communication with your clients, without an EarlyParrot logo. Feel free to customize emails and pages as you wish. You can also take care of your relationships with customers thanks to broadcasted messages, so you can be sure that everything is running smoothly and your subscribers are taken care of.
This tool can be easily integrated with the most popular platforms like WordPress, Shopify, Magento, Typeform, MailChimp, and many more. Why not give it a try?
Referral program for SaaS
If you are planning on taking a SaaS solution live, it could be very beneficial to start a referral program too. How to make this happen with EarlyParrot?
If you are about to implement a referral solution just before launching your SaaS, then great. You can increase engagement among your early adopters, and they will be able to share their referrals via social media, messengers, or emails from day one. Why is it a good idea to start a referral program together with your SaaS?
First of all, you can improve the engagement rate from the very beginning and build bonds with your users. The stronger the relationship and the trust is, the longer they will be with you. On top of this, more referral leads means lower CTAs. Everybody wants lower CTAs, especially at the beginning of their journey.
Thanks to the recommendations of your referrers, your reach can extend immediately. If you encourage people enough, they will talk about you. Nothing gains attention like the buzz made by users and being a newbie on the market. People are curious about such solutions and want to see what the hype is about.
Thanks to a referral program, you can also find out if your SaaS is liked by users (they will not recommend something that they don’t) and which of your brand ambassadors have the greatest clout. It is worth rewarding them accordingly.
In the case of implementing a referral program with EarlyParrot to an existing SaaS solution, there are yet more advantages.
You can set premium features or discounts for your biggest fans and most active referrers. You can also adapt the program to existing strategies to drive the best results, and even set the time at which program invitations will be sent.
Referral marketing in eCommerce
If you are an eCommerce provider, referral marketing may be beneficial for you too. How to surprise your customers with a referral program? We’ll tell you what EarlyParrot can offer your eCommerce to boost sales and gain more loyal clients.
As you have already read, EarlyParrot can be implemented with most eCommerce providers like Shopify, Magneto, or PrestaShop. So if you have 15 minutes spare then you can install this solution to your website right now, and thanks to referral marketing you can drive more conversions. Did you know that referral leads have a 30% higher conversion rate than conversions from other channels? That is a great score. Thanks to implementing a referral program you can gain more trust and improve your brand image. Thanks to broadcasting messages you can also build relationships with customers, making your website a go-to place for buying products in the categories that you offer.
As with SaaS solutions, EarlyParrot supports your business with expanding its reach. The more people who share their opinions about you on social media or via email the better. Reducing CTAs in eCommerce is also a very important aspect.
The timing of encouraging your customers to take part in the program is crucial, and it is best to do so as soon as they finish shopping and are satisfied with their purchases. Thanks to EarlyParrot, invitations are sent automatically, so you don’t have to worry about remembering to do so. This is similar with rewards, in that as soon as a given client meets the criteria you have set, notifications will be sent.
Building your links with a referral program
It might be surprising that referral marketing is a great way to build your email lists. Thanks to such a solution you can check whether new subscribers joined via referrals or not, and reward them accordingly. Not only can you ask them to share referrals, but also remind and motivate them to be more active.
You can integrate EarlyParrot with your CRM or autoresponder and let the magic begin. The platform will determine whether a new subscriber was referred or not, and only send a reward if they were. It works with all the most popular autoresponders and CRM like MailChimp, AWeber, Infusionsoft, or ConvertKit. If you use software that is not on our list then reach out to us and we’ll figure it out.
Why is it a good solution to let EarlyParrot help with your subscribers? You will get to know them better, and find out who has the power to improve communication. Thanks to rewarding your subscribers you can build a loyal community, which is essential for your brand image.
Why should you choose EarlyParrot?
First of all, it is very easy to implement and even easier to use. There is also a free demo that you can use to see if it’s your cup of tea. We are almost 100% sure that the answer here will be yes. Moreover, this platform has got your back. It helps to show you which parts of the program need improvement before it goes live. You can also choose the best rewards: coupon codes, secret links, downloadables, or account upgrades. No matter which you choose, the platform will automatically send it to everyone who meets the criteria set by you.
No worries if your website is not in English, this platform provides campaigns in Spanish, French, German, Greek, and Italian too.
Data security is the priority here. EarlyParrot is GDPR-compliant, and also has fraud protection. No suspicious emails or web traffic, and all social media shares are confirmed via IP tracking.
Are you ready to start a referral marketing journey?
As you should now know, referral marketing is a low-cost, easy-to-implement solution that is also quite simple to monitor. Thanks to EarlyParrot, referral magic can basically happen by itself. Once you integrate this platform with your eCommerce store or SaaS solution, you will never look back. Referrals will soon come, and you will start to benefit from them as a result.
However, remember to keep your finger on the pulse. In time tastes change and so your rewards may need to as well, or customers might not recommend you so willingly. You must be proactive and track the program’s performance continually.
So, do you want to try a free demo first?