For many ecommerce brands, word-of-mouth marketing drives 20% to 50% of all purchases, but it doesn’t happen automatically. While 83% of satisfied customers say they’re willing to refer a brand, only 29% actually do.

A referral program helps bridge this gap by rewarding customers for sharing your brand. But simply launching an ecommerce referral program isn’t enough. You need to promote it and remind customers to participate actively. 

SMS is one of the most direct and effective ways to make sure that customers are engaged with your brand and eager to share your referral program. Unlike emails that may go unread, SMS messages have higher open rates and can drive immediate action. But what kind of referral messages should you send?

Below, you'll find referral SMS templates tailored for three key stages of the referral journey:

• Awareness: Introducing customers to your referral program
• Confirmation: Notifying customers when a referral is successful
• Redemption: Reminding customers to use their earned rewards

Use these text message templates as a starting point. You can easily customize them to match your brand’s tone, offers, and audience.

Why you need to use SMS marketing for your referral program 

With its high open rates, instant delivery, and personal touch, SMS is one of the most effective channels to engage customers with your referral program. Here’s why sending SMS to your referrals is essential:

1. Instant delivery: SMS messages are delivered in real time, and most are read within minutes, making sure that your referral messages are seen promptly.
2. High open rates: With a 98% open rate, SMS guarantees that your referral offers will be seen by the vast majority of your customers, maximizing engagement.
3. Direct and personal communication: Text messages arrive in the same inbox as messages from friends and family, making them feel more personal and trustworthy. This directness leads to higher participation rates in referral programs.
4. Convenience: Customers don’t need to download any additional apps to receive your referral messages. SMS is built into their mobile phones, making it a seamless experience.
5. Cost-effective: Compared to other marketing channels, SMS marketing campaigns offer a more affordable way to reach your audience. It’s easy to send bulk messages at a low cost, especially when scaled.
6. Encourages repeat business and loyalty: Referral SMS messages create opportunities for customer engagement that promote repeat purchases and brand loyalty. Offering dual incentives (one for the referrer and one for the referee) can significantly boost conversions.

To make your SMS campaigns for your referral program more seamless, pick an affiliate marketing tool that prioritizes marketing. Social Snowball integrates seamlessly with SMS platforms like Postscript, Sendlane, and Attentive, allowing you to send targeted, automated referral messages. With this integration, you can easily trigger custom affiliate events, notify affiliates of new sales, and send payouts directly to their smartphones.

For example, using Social Snowball with Sendlane, you can:

• Send welcome messages to new affiliates, including their unique affiliate code for special offers.
• Notify affiliates when the program changes or when they earn a payout.
• Automatically notify affiliates about new referral sales via SMS.

Referral SMS templates to boost your referral program efforts

To help you get started, here’s a list of referral SMS templates that you can easily customize to fit your brand's unique tone and specific use cases to drive better customer engagement and encourage more conversions.

1. Referral SMS templates to promote your program

Whether you're offering discounts, store credits, or exclusive perks like early access to new product launch, these templates help you promote your referral program effectively. 

Customize them for your brand, including shareable links, discounts, or even a phone number for quick access. You can even use the message to give customers a short tutorial on how to start referring and earning rewards.

Encourage customers to start referring

• Hey [Customer’s Name], good things should be shared! Love your recent purchase? Refer a friend, and you’ll both get [Discount %] on your next order. Click [Link] to start sharing!
• Hey [Customer’s Name], welcome to [Brand’s Name]! Share the love—refer a friend, and they’ll get [Discount %] off their first purchase. Once they complete their order, you’ll get [Discount %] too! Learn more: [Link]
• Hey [Customer’s Name], like our products? Get [Discount %] on your next purchase by referring us to your friends and family. Sign up here: [Link]

Reward-based referral SMS

• Love our products? Invite your friends to shop with us, and you’ll both receive $20 off your next purchase. More details: [Link]
• Give [Discount %], Get [Discount %]! Refer your friends and enjoy exclusive discounts on the products you love. More info: [Link]
• Hey [Customer’s Name], thanks for choosing [Brand’s Name]! Love our new products? Share your referral link [Referral Link] and get [Discount %] on your next order. Learn more: [Link]

Exclusive incentives for referrals

• Has sharing ever earned you free stuff? Now it does! Refer our products to your friends and get a free [Product] or a flat [Discount %] on your next purchase. More details: [Link]
• Hey [Customer’s Name], special referral perks just for you! Your friend gets [Discount %] on their first order, and you get [Discount %] across our entire catalog. Start referring now: [Link]
• Sharing is saving! Bring one friend and get [Discount %], bring two and get [Discount %], and bring three or more for even bigger discounts. Hurry, it’s a limited-time offer! More info: [Link]
• Black Friday Special! Refer a friend, and both of you get an extra 20% off on all purchases this week! Don't miss out: [Link]

For example, Cariuma, a sneaker brand, encourages customers to join their referral program after purchasing. They offer a flat $30 discount to them and their friends. They also pledge 30 trees in their name as a social cause to support their customers.

Here is what their SMS campaign looks like:‍

2. Referral SMS templates to notify customers when a friend joins

Keeping customers informed when their referrals successfully convert helps reinforce engagement and encourages more referrals. Use these promotional text templates to update customers when their referral completes a purchase.

Reward notification SMS

• Bingo! Your friend just completed their purchase! 🎉 Thanks for referring them. As a token of appreciation, enjoy $20 off your next order. Use code [coupon code] at checkout to claim your reward.
• Great news! Your first referral was a success! 🎊 Celebrate with a special reward— $20 off on your next purchase. Simply apply [Coupon Code] at checkout. Start shopping with us: [Link]
• Hey [Customer’s Name], your friend just placed their first order using your referral link! You’ve earned a flat [Discount %] on your next purchase. Use [Coupon Code] at checkout. Enjoy!

Points-based reward notification

• Hey [Customer’s Name], your referral was a success! 🎉 Your friend used your referral link for their first purchase, and we’ve credited [Points] to your account. Redeem them for [Discount % or Flat $ Off] on your next order. Check your balance: [Link]
• Hurray! [Friend’s Name] just made their first purchase with [Business Name]! 🎉 Your reward? A flat [Discount %] on your next order. Apply [Coupon Code] at checkout and keep referring for more rewards!
• Hey [Customer’s Name], you've earned [Points] loyalty points for referring [Friend’s Name]! Redeem them for a discount or an early VIP access pass. Claim here: [Link]
• Another referral, another reward! Your friend just made a purchase, adding [Points] to your balance. Redeem now for a discount or cash back: [Link]

For example, Groww, an investment platform, notifies referrers when their friends join. Their SMS typically looks like this:

3. Referral SMS templates to remind customers to redeem their rewards

Customers often forget to redeem their referral rewards. A well-timed reminder message can create urgency and drive them back to your store. Use these SMS templates to encourage them to use their discounts before they expire.

Gentle reminder to redeem

• Hey there, you still haven’t used your referral coupon. Redeem [Coupon Code] now and enjoy a flat [Discount %] on your next purchase. Shop now: [Link]
• DON’T FORGET: A flat [Discount %] is waiting for you! 🎉 Use [Coupon Code] today before it expires. Start shopping: [Link]

Urgent expiry reminders

• Hey [Customer’s Name], your referral discount expires today! ⏳ Hurry and get a flat [Discount %] on your next order. Use [Coupon Code] before it’s gone!
• Last chance to claim your referral discount! 🚨 Redeem [Coupon Code] today and get [Discount %] off. Don’t miss out—shop now: [Link]

Follow-up for missed redemptions

• Hi [Customer’s Name]! You haven’t used your referral discount yet! No worries, you can still claim [Discount %] off your next purchase. Just head to [website link] and apply [Coupon Code] at checkout.

Monsoon sends a reminder SMS to its shoppers about their soon-to-expire reward.

Best practices for referral SMS campaigns

To set up SMS campaigns for your referral program that are engaging and effective, follow these best practices:

• Keep it short and clear: Stick to the 160-character limit or less. Use concise, action-driven language to maximize impact.
• Personalize messages: Add customer names, order numbers, referral links, and earned rewards to make messages feel more direct and engaging.
• Use your existing offers to nudge referrals: During sales like Valentine’s Day or New Year's, remind referrals to share your brand with others since you already have an offer in place that will help you convert new customers more quickly.
• Include a referral link within your order confirmation message: When confirming the order, let customers know that they can instantly refer new customers and earn rewards.
• Create urgency: Use time-sensitive language like “expires soon”, “last chance”, or “limited-time offer” to encourage quick action, especially for flash sales.
• Optimize for mobile: Make sure that referral links are short and mobile-friendly so customers can easily click and share.
• Add opt-in instructions: Allow people to unsubscribe from your SMS to maintain compliance. For example: "Reply NO to stop receiving updates from [company name]."
• Leverage multiple touchpoints: Complement SMS text messages with social media, email, and in-app notifications for a more holistic referral marketing strategy.

Boost your referral program with these ready-to-use SMS marketing templates!

We hope these customizable referral SMS templates help you get started. Pick the ones that fit your business and tailor them to your brand voice, discounts, coupon codes, and website link. 

If you're new to referral programs, consider using a solution like Social Snowball to streamline your efforts. It integrates smoothly with your ecommerce store, automates your onboarding and payouts, and lets you track your referral program’s performance in one place.