ViralRef
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Viral Loop

Viral Loop

Enable automatic affiliate enrollment to turn every referred customer into a referrer.

The viral loop is ViralRef's signature feature. When enabled, every customer who signs up through a referral link automatically becomes a referrer with their own link. This creates a chain reaction where one referral can lead to dozens of new customers.

How the Viral Loop Works

Here's a real-world example of how it plays out:

  1. Sarah (your existing client) shares her referral link with a friend
  2. Emma clicks the link, fills out the signup form, and gets a welcome reward — a gift card or coupon
  3. Emma automatically gets her own referral link — she's now a referrer too
  4. Emma shares her link with her coworker Jake
  5. Jake signs up, gets his welcome reward, and earns his own link
  6. Jake shares with his roommate Chris
  7. The chain keeps going...

Every step after Sarah's first share happens automatically. No manual enrollment, no approval process, no extra work for you.

Why This Matters for Your Business

Without the viral loop, your referral program grows in a straight line — the same 10 referrers bring in 10 new customers every month. With the viral loop, your referral network grows like a snowball rolling downhill:

  • Month 1: 10 referrers bring in 10 new customers (who all become referrers)
  • Month 2: 20 referrers bring in 15 new customers (who all become referrers)
  • Month 3: 35 referrers bring in 25 new customers (who all become referrers)

Your referral army gets bigger every month without you doing anything extra.

Turning On the Viral Loop

  1. Navigate to Programs in the sidebar
  2. Open the program you want to enable the viral loop for
  3. Toggle Enable Viral Loop to on
  4. Set the reward amounts:
SettingWhat It DoesExample
Reward ModeHow the referred customer is rewarded — Gift Card or CouponGift Card
New Customer Reward AmountThe welcome reward value new signups receive$15
Referrer Reward ModeHow the referrer is rewarded (can differ from the referred customer)Gift Card
Referrer Reward AmountThe amount the person who shared the link earns when the new customer makes a purchase$20
  1. Save the program

What Happens When Someone Clicks a Referral Link

Step 1: They See Your Branded Signup Page

The visitor lands on a page showing:

  • Your business logo and branding
  • The name of the person who referred them
  • The welcome gift card amount
  • A short signup form (name, email, phone)

Step 2: They Sign Up and Get Their Reward

When they submit the form:

  1. A welcome reward is created — a Square gift card or an auto-apply coupon, depending on your program settings
  2. They're added as a referrer with their own unique link
  3. They're linked to the person who referred them

Step 3: They Can Start Referring Immediately

The new referrer can:

  • Log in to the referrer portal using their phone number
  • See their referral link and share it with friends
  • Track their earnings and referrals
  • Check their gift card balance

Referral Tree

The viral loop creates a family tree of referrals — you can see who referred whom:

Sarah
├── Emma (referred by Sarah)
│   ├── Jake (referred by Emma)
│   │   └── Chris (referred by Jake)
│   └── Lisa (referred by Emma)
└── Mike (referred by Sarah)
    └── Tom (referred by Mike)

You can view the referral tree for any affiliate from their detail page. This helps you spot your most impactful referrers, even when their impact is indirect.

Double-Sided Rewards Make It Spin Faster

The viral loop works best when both sides get something:

  • New customer: Gets a welcome reward — a gift card (credit toward their visit) or a coupon (auto-apply discount at checkout)
  • Referrer: Earns a gift card top-up or coupon when the new customer makes their first purchase

You can mix reward types: for example, give referred customers a coupon to lower the barrier to their first visit, while rewarding referrers with gift cards to keep them coming back.

This creates two motivations:

  1. The new customer has a reason to book (free credit or a discount)
  2. The referrer has a reason to share (they'll earn a reward)

Best Practices

  • Set a generous welcome reward amount. The first visit is the hardest hurdle. A $10-20 gift card or coupon dramatically increases how many people actually book.
  • Match the reward to your prices. If a typical appointment costs $80, a $15 reward feels meaningful without being excessive.
  • Use coupons for first-time visitors. Coupons auto-apply at the register, which removes friction and makes the first visit feel effortless.
  • Mention the referral link at checkout. Right after a great service is when customers are most likely to share.
  • Keep the signup form short. Name, email, and phone is enough. Every extra field means fewer signups.

Next Steps

Affiliate Portal

Learn about the self-service dashboard that referrers use to track their performance.

Fraud Detection

Protect your viral loop from abuse with automatic fraud prevention.

PayoutsAffiliate Portal