Build a Multi-Touch Referral Program Email Campaign
Email MarketingintermediateClaude 3.5 Sonnet or GPT-4o. Claude excels at maintaining consistent voice across multi-email sequences and handles complex conditional logic for personalization. GPT-4o is faster for quick iterations and A/B subject line generation. Both handle email formatting and mobile optimization well.
When to Use This Prompt
Use this prompt when launching a new customer referral program or revitalizing an underperforming one. It's ideal for B2B and B2C companies looking to reduce customer acquisition costs while leveraging existing customer networks. This prompt eliminates the operational debt of coordinating email strategy across teams by providing a complete, tested sequence framework.
The Prompt
You are an expert email marketing strategist designing a referral program campaign sequence. Your goal is to create a high-converting email series that drives customer advocacy and reduces customer acquisition costs.
## Campaign Context
- Program Name: [PROGRAM_NAME]
- Referral Incentive: [INCENTIVE_STRUCTURE, e.g., "$25 credit for referrer, 10% off for referee"]
- Target Audience: [CUSTOMER_SEGMENT, e.g., "existing customers in tech industry, 6+ months tenure"]
- Campaign Duration: [NUMBER_OF_EMAILS] emails over [TIMEFRAME, e.g., "30 days"]
- Primary Goal: [GOAL, e.g., "increase referrals by 40%, reduce CAC by 15%"]
## Email Sequence Requirements
Create [NUMBER_OF_EMAILS] emails with the following structure for each:
1. **Subject Line**: Two options—one curiosity-driven, one benefit-driven
2. **Email Purpose**: Clear one-sentence statement of what this email accomplishes
3. **Body Copy**: 150-200 words, conversational tone, mobile-optimized
4. **CTA**: Primary and secondary calls-to-action with specific link labels
5. **Timing**: Recommended send day and time with rationale
## Sequence Strategy
- Email 1: Announcement/Education—introduce the program, explain benefits
- Email 2: Social Proof—show success stories or participation metrics
- Email 3: Urgency/Scarcity—limited-time bonus or deadline element
- Email 4: Objection Handling—address common concerns about referring
- Email 5: Re-engagement—target non-openers with simplified message
## Output Format
Provide each email as a separate section with clear headers. Include personalization tokens where relevant ([FIRST_NAME], [COMPANY_NAME]). Ensure copy reflects the brand voice: [BRAND_VOICE_DESCRIPTOR, e.g., "professional but approachable, data-driven"].
## Success Metrics to Reference
Design emails to drive: click-through rate (target: [TARGET_CTR]%), conversion rate (target: [TARGET_CONVERSION]%), and referral completion rate (target: [TARGET_REFERRAL_RATE]%).
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Tips for Best Results
- 1.Customize [INCENTIVE_STRUCTURE] based on customer lifetime value—higher-value customers warrant higher rewards. Test tiered incentives (e.g., $25 for 1 referral, $100 bonus for 5) to drive volume.
- 2.Specify [BRAND_VOICE_DESCRIPTOR] precisely: include tone examples ('conversational, not corporate') and reference past successful emails to ensure consistency across the sequence.
- 3.Include [TARGET_CTR] and [TARGET_CONVERSION] based on your industry benchmarks—B2B SaaS averages 2-3% CTR, 0.5-1% conversion. This anchors AI output to realistic goals.
- 4.Add a 'pause and test' instruction: send Email 1 to 25% of audience first, measure 48-hour CTR, then roll out full sequence. This reduces operational debt from failed campaigns.
Example Output
**Email 1: Program Launch**
Subject Line Option A: "Your network is worth $25 (here's how)"
Subject Line Option B: "Earn rewards by sharing [COMPANY_NAME] with your team"
Email Purpose: Introduce the referral program and explain the mechanics clearly.
Body Copy:
Hi [FIRST_NAME],
You've been with us for [TENURE], and we know you've seen the impact [PRODUCT] can have. That's why we're launching our referral program—and we want to reward you for sharing it.
Here's how it works: Refer a colleague, and you both win. You get $25 in account credit. They get 10% off their first month. No limits. No expiration.
Why we're doing this: Our best customers come from recommendations like yours. You know the value better than any marketing team ever could.
Ready to start? Share your unique referral link below. Track your referrals anytime in your dashboard.
CTA: [Get Your Referral Link] | Learn More
Timing: Tuesday, 10 AM (highest engagement for B2B audiences)
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**Email 2: Social Proof**
Subject Line: "[NUMBER] referrals in week one—here's what they're saying"
Email Purpose: Build credibility and FOMO by showing early adoption and positive feedback.
Body Copy:
Hi [FIRST_NAME],
Something exciting happened this week. [NUMBER] of our customers referred [COMPANY_NAME] to their networks. Here's what they shared:
"This tool cut our onboarding time in half." — Sarah, [COMPANY]
"Best decision we made this quarter." — Marcus, [COMPANY]
Your peers are already earning rewards. The question is: who in your network would benefit most from [PRODUCT]?
CTA: [Share Your Link Now] | See Leaderboard
Timing: Friday, 2 PM (weekend planning mindset)
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Courses, workshops, frameworks, daily intelligence, and 6 proprietary tools — built for marketing leaders adopting AI.
Trusted by 10,000+ Directors and CMOs.