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Email Marketing Glossary.

Clear, no-fluff definitions of every email marketing term that matters—from open rates to double opt-in. 

 

Referral Email

A referral email invites existing customers to refer friends or family — usually with a reward for both parties — turning satisfied customers into a low-cost, high-trust acquisition channel.

Also known as: refer-a-friend email, referral program email

Your happiest customers are your best marketers. Referral emails give them a reason and an easy way to spread the word, bringing in new customers who arrive pre-trusted.

How do referral emails work?

You email satisfied customers with a referral offer — often a two-sided reward where both the referrer and the friend get a discount — plus an easy way to share their unique link.

Why do referral emails work?

Referred customers arrive with built-in trust and tend to convert and retain better. And because the channel is powered by your existing customers, acquisition cost is low.

Referral email best practices

Time them after a positive experience (like a delivered order), make the reward worthwhile for both sides, and make sharing effortless.

Related terms

Email Newsletter Promotional Email Email Blast Cold Email Broadcast Email Re-Engagement Campaign

Related reading from Drip

13 Loyalty-Building Referral Email Examples E-Commerce Referral Marketing: How to Get More Sales

Frequently asked questions

What is a referral email?
A referral email invites existing customers to refer friends or family, usually with a reward for both parties. It turns satisfied customers into a low-cost, high-trust acquisition channel.
How do referral emails work?
You email happy customers with a referral offer — often a two-sided reward where both the referrer and their friend get a discount — along with an easy way to share their unique referral link.
Why are referral emails effective?
Referred customers arrive with built-in trust and tend to convert and retain better than other channels. Because your existing customers power the referrals, acquisition costs stay low.
What are referral email best practices?
Send them after a positive experience such as a delivered order, make the reward worthwhile for both the referrer and the friend, and make sharing as effortless as possible.
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