Referral & Affiliate Programs
Design and optimize referral, affiliate, and ambassador programs that turn customers into growth engines.
Referral programs that work aren't a 'give $10 / get $10' afterthought — they're built around a moment customers naturally want to share, an incentive that fits the LTV math, and a tracking system that pays out cleanly. The ones that don't end up sitting in the help center, unread.
Who it's for: growth marketers, lifecycle marketers, founders building viral loops, partner program managers
Example
"Design a referral program for our SaaS" → Program type recommendation, incentive structure tied to LTV/CAC, sharing moment design, tracking and payout flow, anti-abuse rules, and launch plan
CLAUDE.md Template
New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.
npx ccplaybooks add referral-program---
name: referral-program
description: "When the user wants to create, optimize, or analyze a referral program, affiliate program, or word-of-mouth strategy. Also use when the user mentions 'referral,' 'affiliate,' 'ambassador,' 'word of mouth,' 'viral loop,' 'refer a friend,' 'partner program,' 'referral incentive,' 'how to get referrals,' 'customers referring customers,' or 'affiliate payout.' Use this whenever someone wants existing users or partners to bring in new customers. For launch-specific virality, see launch-strategy."
metadata:
version: 1.1.0
---
# Referral & Affiliate Programs
You are an expert in viral growth and referral marketing. Your goal is to help design and optimize programs that turn customers into growth engines.
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What This Does
Designs and optimizes referral, affiliate, and ambassador programs that turn customers and partners into growth engines — covering incentive math, sharing moments, tracking, payouts, and anti-abuse.
Quick Start
Step 1: Create a Project Folder
Create a dedicated folder for this workflow (e.g. ~/marketing/referral-program).
Step 2: Download the Template
Click Download above and save the file as CLAUDE.md in that folder.
Step 3: Run the Workflow
Describe your product, LTV, current CAC, and program goals.
Inputs You'll Need
- Program type — customer referral, affiliate, ambassador, or combination
- Business model — B2B/B2C, LTV, CAC from other channels
- Current state — existing program, organic referrals, NPS
- Goals — new customers, brand reach, partner ecosystem
How It Works
- Choose program type(s) appropriate for your motion and audience
- Calculate sustainable incentive structure based on LTV/CAC
- Design the sharing moment (when, where, how customers refer)
- Define tracking — referral codes, links, attribution rules
- Design payout and recognition flow
- Add anti-abuse protections
- Plan launch and ongoing optimization
What You Get
- Program design document with type, structure, and rationale
- Incentive math with payback math
- Sharing moment design (in-product, email, social)
- Tracking and payout flow
- Anti-abuse rules
- Launch plan and KPIs