In this article, we'll show you how to write the best referral email to get their attention, and what other successful ecommerce and DTC businesses are doing with their referral program emails.
3 quick tips for referral email
Even with the most irresistible incentive possible, it doesn't necessarily equate to your customers taking up your offer.
Why not?
Because they might not even open your referral program email. And if they do, they might not click on the link to set up their referral discount or offer.
That's why it's super important to write a referral email that is more likely to land in the inbox, be opened, and grab the attention of your existing customer base.
"It only takes a few seconds for customers to decide whether to click on your referral email, so make it stand out. Maximize your chances of higher open rates by using an eye-catching subject head, professional-looking images that highlight your product, and use persuasive, but not aggressive copywriting." - Rachel Leung, Product Designer @ ReferralCandy
We've got a few tips to help you do exactly that.
1. Use a high converting subject line
As tempting as it is to write a super cheeky subject line as you might do with your friends, it might not be the best tactic when it comes to your email marketing strategy.
Instead, it's super important to be clear about what you are offering in the email so that your customers know whether or not they want to open it. Be clear about what the referral offer is right in the subject line (see examples below) and you will see an over 500 percent increase in your open rate.
Referral incentives are one of the most important components of asking for referrals. Most people want to know what’s in it for them by referring your brand and product to their close friends and family.
The keyword here is “WORTH”.
The referral incentive should be clear and simple while showing your subscribers that it is worth being an advocate for your brand. By prominently displaying it in your email, it helps your customers to decide if it is worth their time and effort to refer your brand and products.
3. Get to the point
Listen, as impressive as human beings can be at times, the truth of the matter is that we are also incredibly lazy.
So make your referral bonus easy to identify right away, either with a clear call-to-action, an effective campaign slogan, a big, bold referral code, or super clear instructions.
A good email design ensures that the main message is read even if your customer is just scanning through the email. Furthermore, custom email templates play a pivotal role in attracting the customer's attention and nudging them to act.
To help you with that, we’ve collected some of our favorite referral email designs so that you can draw inspiration and start creating your own gorgeous referral emails.
The subject line celebrates International Friendship Day—which brings the idea of a refer a friend program nicely into the email
The image used shows friends having fun while wearing Greats’ products
Email states clearly the incentive that both the referred and advocate will receive
Uses a simple and straightforward CTA button to invite a friend
Showcases their community as social proof with the hashtag #BeOneOfTheGreats
Flexfits
Subject: TRY NEW THINGS TOGETHER
Why we love it:
The subject line “Try new things together” encourage customers to share the products with people around them—a good lead into the refer a friend program in the email
Includes animated gifs on the image to capture the attention of readers, especially since the incentive is clearly shown
Clear CTA right after the image
An easy-to-understand description of how the referral program works
Uses words like “crew”, “bestie”, “pal”, which helps to emphasize the community aspect of a referral program
Reinforces the unique selling point of their product and what differentiates them from the rest—also serves as additional talking points for advocates when they share with friends
Cleancult does an amazing job in the community aspect by pulling together the milestones that every customer of theirs has helped them to achieve with a “Green Impact Report”
Uses the report to get the attention of readers, then introduce the referral program
“Spread the word, save big” emphasizes not just the referral incentive but also the impact that advocates have on the environment just by telling their friends and family
The subject line is straight to the point with the referral incentive “Give $10, Get $20”
The image used in the banner shows two different people holding a Sheertex product—taps on the community and sharing aspect
CTA button has good contrast—stands out in the entire email
Body copy is simply but explains the referral process well enough
Find what works best for your brand
Crafting a successful referral email can be difficult, so take as much time as you need in creating the best possible design and copy that will compel your customers to share with their friends and family.
Take inspiration from these 20 different email designs and make one that is truly your own. For more examples, you can check out Really Good Emails or Milled.
Cheryl is a full-time Content Marketer at ReferralCandy by day and a "Learnaholic" (aka always learning something new) by night. She loves learning new languges, storytelling, and creating experiences that are functional and visually compelling. She's also always lurking on Twitter so drop by and say hi!
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