The Secret to Getting Customers to Share

Introduction: The Elusive Secret of Sharing

Every small business owner and marketing manager dreams of a magic lever that turns satisfied customers into vocal advocates. The ability to reliably get customers to share your business not only ignites true word-of-mouth, but also slashes acquisition costs and builds trust faster than any paid ad ever could.

Yet, despite the proven power of referral marketing, many brands find it elusive. Why is it so tough to get customers to share, even when they clearly love your product or service?

The truth: There isn’t a single “secret”—but a series of key strategies, each critical for sparking trustworthy organic growth through referrals. With the right understanding and tools, word-of-mouth becomes not just possible, but predictable.

According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other type of advertising.

In this guide, you’ll uncover exactly how to tap into the power of referral marketing, why customers do (and don’t) share, and the systems leading brands use to multiply advocacy—and results.

Beyond Satisfaction: Why Customers Don't Always Share

You might think that happy customers will automatically talk about your business. But in reality, even delighted clients often stay silent. Understanding why customers don't share business—even when they're pleased—is the first step to unlocking organic growth.

• They aren’t prompted at the right moment or in the right way.
• Customer friction: Sharing is complicated or time-consuming.
• They don’t see personal benefit or value in sharing.
• Fear of spamming or appearing insincere to their network.
• They simply forget or aren't aware sharing is an option.

Knowing these barriers allows you to design smarter outreach and make sharing frictionless, authentic, and rewarding.

The True Motivations: Why Customers *Want* to Share

Tapping into real customer motivations is essential when mapping how to encourage customers to share. While external rewards sometimes help, the most powerful drivers are psychological.

• Intrinsic motivation: Wanting to help friends by recommending something genuinely useful.
• Social currency: Sharing boosts their status or expertise among peers.
• Sense of belonging: Participation in a brand community or movement.
• Recognition: Appreciation or public acknowledgment from the business.
• Extrinsic motivation: Incentives like discounts, credits, or special access.

The best brands intentionally appeal to both types of customer motivations through their referral programs and community building.

Foundation First: Delivering an Exceptional Customer Experience

There’s no shortcut around this: a remarkable customer experience is the real long-term engine for organic growth. Before you roll out a referral program or incentives, your product or service must be truly share-worthy; customers won’t risk their reputation referring anything less.

Core elements of a memorable customer experience include:

• A product or service that delivers real value and stands out from competitors.
• Fast, friendly customer service (see our customer service best practices).
• Follow-ups that make customers feel appreciated.
• A simple, memorable process for both ordering and follow-up.

Building a customer advocacy program starts not with fancy automation, but with consistently exceeding expectations at every touchpoint.

Research shows that referred customers are more loyal and have a 16% higher lifetime value than non-referred customers.

Before adding more tactics, invest in elevating your core customer experience. It is the foundation for every customer advocacy program.

Make Sharing Effortless: Remove All Barriers

Once you've crafted a great product or service, it's critical to make sharing easy. Even passionate fans won't act if the process is confusing or time-consuming—they need the shortest possible path to becoming vocal advocates.

Here's a checklist to make sharing effortless and boost user generated content:

• Prominently display share buttons (social, messaging, email) on order confirmation and thank-you pages to get customers to share immediately.
• Enable one-click sharing directly from customer dashboards or order histories.
• Use pre-filled messages so customers aren't stuck crafting their own referral pitch.
• Allow users to copy a unique referral link with one tap.
• Simplify the submission of reviews and testimonials.

Automate tracking and attribution behind the scenes so that you never lose a referral opportunity due to technical snags. Simplicity is crucial: the easier you make sharing, the more results you'll unlock.

Don't Be Shy: Strategically Asking for the Share

Timing is everything when it comes to asking for referrals. If you ask before trust is built, it may seem pushy. If you wait too long, the emotional high of a great experience fades.

Here’s how to master the art of asking for referrals:

• Use NPS or satisfaction surveys to identify happy customers—then follow up with a referral ask at the "very satisfied" moment.
• Trigger requests right after positive milestones (purchase, positive review, successful service outcome).
• Integrate requests into loyalty program emails or member dashboards (customer retention strategies).

When to ask customer share? The answer: exactly when their enthusiasm is highest. Give permission, make it comfortable, and always reward the effort—even with a simple thank you.

84% of customers say they’re willing to refer after a positive experience, but only 29% actually do. Don’t leave it to chance—ask, and you shall receive.

Final tip: personalize the ask and contextualize the value to their friends, not just to your business.

The Power of Incentives: Is Bribery Okay?

Is it acceptable to incentivize customer sharing? The short answer: yes, if the incentive serves as a thank you and not the sole reason for the action. The most effective programs combine incentives with authenticity to drive sustainable results.

• Discount or credit for the referrer (single-sided incentive)
• Discount or reward for the referred friend
• Exclusive access (early product launch, VIP group)
• Charity or donation on behalf of the referrer

Stat: Over 90% of consumers say they're more likely to trust a brand recommended by a friend (source: ReferralCandy).

When structuring referral program incentives, ensure both parties feel valued and that rewards align with your margins and brand image. Test and optimize to find the right formula for your audience.

Building an Advocate Community

Referral programs aren’t just about transactions—they’re a springboard to community. The most successful brands foster a customer community where advocates share for deeper reasons than discounts: belonging, identity, and pride.

• Offer opportunities for feedback and participation in product decisions (customer community).
• Recognize and celebrate top advocates (leaderboards, shout-outs, gifts).
• Provide exclusive resources, events, or access to create inner circles. (building a customer advocacy program)

A thriving customer advocacy program turns one-off referrers into lifelong promoters who recruit others and sustain organic growth—even without constant incentives.

Measuring Success and Optimizing Your Sharing Strategy

To improve, you must measure. Tracking referrals, shares, and their outcomes is critical to optimize sharing strategy for maximum ROI.

• Number of shares and referral traffic (volume and source).
• Conversion rate of referred customers (often double standard channels).
• Customer lifetime value of referrals (LTV).
• Percentage of customers willing to refer (pre- and post-incentive).

Compare your results against benchmarks, segment by referral source, and look for drop-off points. Use automated dashboards and reports from your sharing platform or CRM.

To measure referral marketing effectively, track both quantitative (how many, how much) and qualitative (who, why) outcomes—and adjust your approach as you see new opportunities.

Conclusion: Consistent Effort Unlocks the Secret

Getting customers to share isn’t about luck or guesswork. It’s the result of intentional strategies, small tweaks, and a persistent focus on value.

Here’s the featured formula you’ve been searching for:

**To get customers to share, consistently provide exceptional value, make the sharing process incredibly easy, strategically ask for referrals at key moments, and consider implementing incentives for both the referrer and the referred.**

• Deliver an outstanding experience, every time.
• Make sharing effortless with streamlined tools.
• Be deliberate—ask at key points when enthusiasm peaks.
• Foster a community, not just quick wins.

With steady attention and the right steps, referral marketing success is within reach for any brand willing to invest in their customers—and help those customers tell your story.

Ready to turn customers into advocates? Download our FREE guide to building a powerful referral program!

FAQs

Q: How much should I incentivize referrals?

A: The ideal incentive amount varies by industry and customer base. It should be valuable enough to motivate action but not so high it attracts fraudulent referrals. Test different amounts to find what works.

Q: When is the best time to ask for a referral?

A: The best times are typically right after a positive experience, like a successful purchase, positive feedback, or when a customer reaches a milestone with your service. Integrate asks into post-purchase emails, satisfaction surveys, or user dashboards.