referral-program-building

为 SaaS/数字产品打造推荐奖励计划。涵盖奖励结构（双边奖励、阶梯式奖励、多步奖励）、平台选型（Rewardful、ReferralCandy、Viral Loops、FirstPromoter）、技术实现（追踪、归因、API 接口设计）、防欺诈机制、邮件模板，以及 KPI 指标。适用于设计病毒式增长回路、实现“好友推荐”功能，或优化现有推荐体系。

SKILL.md

--- frontmatter

name: referral-program-building
description: Build referral programs for SaaS/digital products. Covers reward structures (two-sided, tiered, multi-step), platform selection (Rewardful, ReferralCandy, Viral Loops, FirstPromoter), technical implementation (tracking, attribution, API patterns), fraud prevention, email templates, and KPI metrics. Use for designing viral growth loops, implementing refer-a-friend features, or optimizing existing referral systems.
version: 1.0.0

Referral Program Building

Build viral referral programs that drive 2-3x higher conversion rates with 37% better retention.

Quick Start

•Define Program Type - Choose reward structure matching business model
•Select Platform - Pick tool based on scale and integration needs
•Implement Tracking - Set up attribution, fraud prevention, analytics
•Launch & Optimize - Soft launch, measure KPIs, iterate

Core Principles

•Two-Sided Rewards: Both referrer AND referee get incentives (68% higher participation)
•Product Alignment: Use product as reward when possible (Dropbox model)
•Integration: Embed in user workflow, not separate feature
•Simplicity: Explain in 2-3 bullet points or it's too complex

References

Strategy & Design

•Reward Structures - Incentive types, tiered rewards, real-world examples
•Platform Selection - Rewardful vs ReferralCandy vs Viral Loops comparison

Implementation

•Technical Guide - Database schema, API patterns, attribution
•Fraud Prevention - Detection mechanisms, validation rules

Operations

•Email Templates - Program intro, reminders, reward fulfillment
•Metrics & KPIs - Participation rate, ROI, CLV tracking

Platform Quick Reference

Platform	Best For	Price	Setup
Rewardful	SaaS subscriptions	$49/mo	1 hour
ReferralCandy	Ecommerce	$49/mo	1-click
Viral Loops	Custom campaigns	Custom	Visual builder
FirstPromoter	Recurring commissions	Custom	Dashboard
Voucherify	Enterprise API-first	Custom	API integration

Key Metrics

•Participation Rate: Target 5-9%
•Referral Rate: Target 5-10% (avg 2.3%)
•CAC via Referral: Should be 30-50% lower than other channels
•Referred CLV: 16-25% higher than non-referred
•Program ROI: Successful programs see 3:1 to 5:1

Case Study Insights

Dropbox (3900% Growth):

•Product-aligned reward (500MB storage)
•Integrated into onboarding step 6
•Both parties benefit equally

PayPal (100M Users):

•$20+$20 aggressive cash incentives
•Aligned with payment product
•7-10% daily growth rate

Airbnb (900% YoY):

•Altruistic messaging outperformed selfish
•Mobile-first optimization
•Data-driven A/B testing everything

Report Output

Activate: assets-organizing skill for report file paths

Referral reports go to assets/reports/performance/{date}-referral-program.md