[July 2026] 🤘 How to capture a referral's interest (+ 4 updates)

Hey it’s Mica,

I’ve been on a customer tour this summer, talking with people every day about their referral programs. One of the most common mistakes I see is treating the referred friend experience like a traditional landing page.

That’s the wrong approach. You’re not trying to convince a stranger. You’re rolling out the welcome mat for a warm intro. It requires a different mindset.

As part of our product updates this past month, we introduced the Referral Form to lean into the personal recommendation. Now we’re digging deeper into what makes a good referred friend experience and how to improve yours.

We also released several other product updates (scroll to see full details).

• Admin Notifications

• Customer Feed API/Zapier

• Bigger Prepaid Rewards

• Recruiter Upgrades

Let's dive in. 👇👇

-Mica
Head of Operations

🤝 What makes a good referred friend experience?

A personal recommendation from a trusted source is the best lead a business can get.

A wall of logos. Five-star reviews. Benefit statements. FAQs for every product and service.

That is how you sell to a stranger. It is the wrong way to greet a friend.

Here’s an example of a good experience:

Two parents are standing on the sideline at a soccer game. Sarah mentions to Dave she finally found a cleaning service she likes:

"They're great. I'll send you a link to get 50% off your first clean."

Later, Sarah texts Dave:

"Check out Dust Bunnies. In and out in two hours, and they actually do the baseboards. Use this link to claim 50% off your first clean.”

Dave wasn’t looking for a new cleaner. He was watching the game. Now the offer is sitting on his phone waiting to be claimed. He clicks the link, enters his name and email, and gets a discount code immediately.

Dave can book when he’s ready, and the business has a lead they can follow up with.

This works because of its simplicity.

• Dave trusts Sarah and, by extension, trusts the business

• Dave wants to claim the deal Sarah mentioned

• Dave is interested (but not quite ready to buy)

Your job is to capture Dave’s interest and fulfill the promise (the deal) that brought him there. Dave will remember you the next time he needs a cleaner, and you can follow up directly.

Facebook already figured this out

In 2023, Facebook ran 15 global A/B tests comparing their in-app Instant Forms to traditional landing pages. Same ads. Same audience. Same offer. The only change was where they sent people: Instant Form vs. a website.

Instant Forms generated 125% more leads and lowered cost per qualified lead by 20% compared to website pages.

The referred friend experience is similar to Instant Forms (only better because it’s coming from a trusted source).

🧩 4 ways to get more from your Referral Form

We built the Referral Form based on the same insights behind Instant Forms, plus what we've learned helping customers run their referral programs.

Here's how to get more out of yours.

1) Nail the introduction

The first thing a friend should see is a message from the person who referred them. It is a personal recommendation from a trusted source, and it is better proof than anything in your testimonial library, your logo row, or a quote from a stranger.

• Lead with the referrer's name (put your logo second)

• Write the quote so any happy customer could have said it

• Reuse the offer wording from your invite emails and share messages (message matching)

2) Lead with the referral offer

Give them a reason to complete the Referral Form now. They may not be ready to buy, but they are interested. Lean into it with an offer they want to claim immediately.

Make it an easy yes. It should be an impulse.

• State the offer in real terms (what they actually get), not "exclusive savings"

• Put it above the form where it is clearly visible

• Label the button with the offer (“Claim 50% off first clean”)

3) Ask for fewer fields

The form captures interest. That is all it does. Qualifying happens later, in the follow-up.

Every additional field adds friction:

• Name and email are usually enough to start

• Add fields progressively, after interest is captured

• Limit fields to the essential information needed to move to the next step

4) Give them one next step

Most businesses waste the confirmation screen with a simple Thank You message.

The referred friend just said yes. Now it’s time to nudge them towards next steps.

• Show the offer and give clear instructions for redeeming it (send it by email too)

• If appropriate, include a button to direct them to any online next steps (scheduling a meeting, completing an application, making a purchase)

• Keep the tone optional (a referral should be allowed to redeem the offer later)