How to launch a referral program in a computer club
How to launch a referral program in a club
Section titled “How to launch a referral program in a club”A referral program is the cheapest acquisition channel: new clients arrive via recommendation, so their trust in the club is already higher than average. Referred clients convert to regulars at 1.5–2× the rate of advertising traffic.
Step 1 — Define the mechanic
Section titled “Step 1 — Define the mechanic”Basic “bring a friend” mechanic:
| Who receives | What they receive | When |
|---|---|---|
| Referrer (who brought someone) | Deposit bonus of {percent}% or {fixed amount} to balance | After friend’s first top-up |
| New client (referred) | Bonus on first top-up from {threshold} | At first top-up |
Threshold calculation: the referral reward should be less than the cost of acquiring a client through ads. If one advertising client costs you X, the combined referral bonus (both sides) should be < X.
Step 2 — Create a tracking system
Section titled “Step 2 — Create a tracking system”Option 1 — Manual tracking (for starting out):
Set up a spreadsheet:
| Referrer | Date | Who they brought | First top-up | Bonus credited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| {Client name} | {date} | {New client name} | {amount} | ✓ |
Admin asks every new client at registration: “Who referred you?” and logs it.
Option 2 — Referral codes:
Give each client a personal code like NAME-3digits (e.g., JOHN-047). New client provides the code at registration.
Client card template:
Your referral code: {CODE}
Share it with a friend — when they come and top up from {amount},you get {bonus} to your balance, they get {new client bonus}.Step 3 — Create an in-club announcement
Section titled “Step 3 — Create an in-club announcement”Sign or sticker at the desk:
🎮 BRING A FRIEND — GET A BONUS
Your friend visits for the first time + tops up from {amount}:— You get: {referrer bonus}— They get: {referred client bonus}
Just tell the admin your name at their registration.Step 4 — Announce in the Telegram channel
Section titled “Step 4 — Announce in the Telegram channel”Channel post:
👥 Club Referral Program
Bring a friend → both of you get a deposit bonus.
How it works:1. Friend visits the club for the first time2. They give your name at registration3. They top up from {amount}4. You get {bonus} credited — they get {bonus}
Bonuses don't expire, you can accumulate them.Step 5 — Measure the result
Section titled “Step 5 — Measure the result”30 days after launch:
- How many new clients came through referrals
- What percentage of total new client growth
- Average check of referral clients vs regular new clients
If the referral channel brings >15% of new clients — the program works. If less — either the bonus is too small, or the program isn’t being communicated clearly enough to clients.
When to scale
Section titled “When to scale”After the basic mechanic runs stably for 2–3 months, you can add:
- Multi-tier system:
bring 10 friends = VIP status - Referral contest: most referrals in a month wins a special prize
- Integration with the IZI mobile app for automatic tracking
Frequently asked questions
What referral reward size works best?
Optimal: 5–10% of the referred friend's first top-up to the referrer, a fixed deposit bonus to the new client on their first top-up. Too small a bonus doesn't motivate, too large eats into margins. Rule: total referral bonus (both sides) should be less than your cost of acquiring a client through ads.
How to track who referred whom?
Via IZI CRM: when registering a new client, the admin records who brought them. In analytics this shows as an acquisition source. You can also use unique referral codes — a short code the client provides at their first visit.
When to credit the referrer — immediately or after the friend visits?
After the referred friend's first top-up — not after registration. This protects against gaming: a client can't register 'phantom' friends just to collect the bonus.
Does the referral program work only for physical clubs or online too?
It works especially well for physical clubs: the client brings a friend in person, the administrative barrier is minimal. Online referral programs are more complex due to tracking requirements — not needed for a club.