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Name Share®: the most powerful method of referral marketing

Sophia King
By Sophia King — September 14, 2021 -

We all like things to be fast and easy; referring friends to our favourite brand is no exception. Especially when there's a tempting incentive up for grabs.

Making it straightforward for customers to share your brand – and for their friends to act on the recommendation – underpins a successful referral programme. That's the beauty of word-of-mouth referrals and exactly where Name Share® comes in. 

In this article, we're going to dive deep into the brilliance of Name Share® and how it's revolutionising the way businesses up their referral game.

Understanding the Name Share® Feature

Picture this.

You cycle to meet your friend Phil, and he compliments you on your helmet. 

He's in the market for one and yours ticks all the boxes. Better yet, you have a special offer Phil can use on his first purchase (you'll get a reward, too). You reach for your phone so you can share the brand referral link with Phil and –  

Your phone isn't in your pocket.

Because you left it on the kitchen counter again *face palm*. You tell Phil you'll share the link when you get home and the conversation moves on. 

It's not until weeks later, when clipping on your helmet for a leisurely cycle, that you remember the conversation. You message Phil and he tells you not to worry – he bought a helmet from a shop in town a while back.

Fortunately, not all your customers are forgetful enough to leave their phones at home. 

Unfortunately, this isn't the only reason these everyday recommendations might not convert into new customers.

Here are other reasons referral applications may not be successful:

- Customers can't find the email from your refer-a-friend program

- Referees can't find or have forgotten about their friend's referral email by the time they're ready to buy

- Referees remember seeing a referral link on social media but can't remember who shared it

What is Name Share® and How Does it Work?

To understand Name Share® and how it revolutionises referral programme marketing, let's rewind our original scenario. 

Referral name sharing for referrerName Share® lets customer refer friends using just their name

This time, instead of telling Phil you'll share the link later, you tell him to enter your name at checkout. No code required – you don't even need to get out your phone.

Name Share® lets customers refer friends using just their name. So, when Phil orders his new helmet a few days later, he enters your name at checkout. Just like that, he's bagged himself (and you) a special offer.

Mention Me’s unique name sharing feature encourages natural word-of-mouth customer referrals by letting them refer friends using just their name. 

We won't go into the geeky tech side of how the feature works, but you can rest assured only genuine referrers and referees are rewarded. If we have multiple customers with the same name, we'll use their email address as a unique identifier. 

None of our competitors offer Name Share® as a delivery mechanism for referral; they’re stuck with those unwieldy, alienating codes (often destined to remain buried deep and unused in a customer’s overflowing email inbox). 

Benefits of Name Share®

Implementing the Name Share® feature into your referral model offers several key benefits:

Capture word-of-mouth referrals: It means you can seamlessly convert your customers' everyday conversations about your brand into new customers.

Buyer-led referrals: Traditional referral journeys rely on the referer sharing their code, and their friend following through with the referral. Name Share® puts all the power in the hands of the customer in a simple, intuitive referral journey. 

Higher conversion rates: Generic referral links are easily forgotten, less personal and often involve a clunkier customer journey. Referrals via Name Share® are easily remembered, personal and customer-led. This frictionless path to purchase results in higher conversion rates.

More social sharing: It’s easier for referrers to share their name than to generate a referral code or copy a referral link to their socials: “For everyone asking where the dress in my Instagram Stories is from: It’s XYZ-brand, just mention my name at checkout to get a free consultation from XYZ-brand’s style experts!”

Increased customer acquisition: And not just any customers; referred customers are more valuable than the average consumer.

By making the referral process simpler and smoother, you can drive more sustainable revenue growth and profitability through your customer base. Referee name sharing messageInvite referred customers to enter their friend's name...

Referee name sharing rewardFor an exclusive reward

Personalisation and Referral Marketing

Importance of Personalisation in Marketing

Personalisation has become a cornerstone of successful marketing strategies. 

Today's consumers expect personalised experiences tailored to their specific needs, preferences, and stage in their customer journey. 

By understanding and catering to these expectations, brands can forge a stronger relationship with their customer base.

How Name Share® Personalises the Referral Experience

Name Share® takes personalisation to a whole new level in referral marketing.

By leveraging the referer’s name, brands can create a sense of trust and credibility right from the start. 

The personalised referral message captures the attention of the referee and resonates with them a deeper, personal level, leading to increased engagement and a higher likelihood of conversion.

Case Studies and Examples

Examples of Brands that Successfully Implemented Name Share®

Hundreds of leading brands have implemented Name Share® in their referral programmes with outstanding results. Discover A Grand Tour of 57 Customer Advocacy Programmes to see Name Share® in action.

Results and Impact on Sales

DNAfit: 

“We’ve seen 30% of our shares come from name sharing” says Hilly Scholes, Digital Marketing & Social Media Manager at DNAfit

‘Bought by Many’ (now ManyPets):

Name Share® has doubled the volume of shares, and quadrupled sales from the ‘Bought by Many’ (now ManyPets) referral scheme in the last 12 months. 

Helene Vincent, Head of Performance Marketing says: “Just to show to you how important referral is for our growth now, we want to get even more attention from referrals, so internally we're going to recruit and have a person dedicated to this full time.”

The Greater Good:

“Just six weeks after launching our referral programme with Mention Me, we’re already seeing promising results. The Name Share® feature is proving a particular success, driving 54% of all referrals. We’ve also been able to promote awareness of our offering, from individual products to our subscription service, through referral rewards. We’re already in talks with our Client Manager about how we can build on this with A/B testing and programme optimisation.” Olivia Sammons, Customer Experience Manager, The Greater Good

Tips for Implementing Name Share®

We’re not saying you shouldn't encourage customers to share your brand via typical channels, like email and WhatsApp. The best referral programmes offer numerous sharing methods and A/B test to discover which are most effective. 

But it is worth noting that our Name Share® feature delivers 34% of referrals across our clients. That's pretty impressive (even if we do say so ourselves).

Best Practices for Using Name Share® in Referral Marketing Campaigns

To maximise the effectiveness of Name Share® in your referral marketing campaigns, consider the customer journey:

Promote referral at any point in your app - normally a "point of delight" makes sense to encourage the user to share the offer with their friends. 

For example: 

After a successful signup or transaction;

From a ‘Refer a Friend’ menu option;

Under ‘My account’ screen;

User-Friendly Interface - Ensure that the referral program's user interface is intuitive and straightforward. Customers should be able to easily access their unique referral links or Name Share® call-to-action. And the CTA should feel native to your brand, with the same look and feel.

Clear Incentives - Clearly communicate the rewards and incentives customers will receive for successful referrals. Make the referral programme enticing and beneficial for both the referrer and the recipient.

Some examples:

  • Free gift

  • Donation to charity

  • Discount

  • Gift card

  • Subscription

  • Service e.g. Free 15-minute nutrition consultation

Measure the performance and effectiveness of the Name Share® feature and track advocacy-driven growth - This data will help optimise the referral programme and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, you’ll be able to A/B test your campaigns by cohort to evaluate impact and ROI success. Mention Me has specific features that can segment your customer advocates so you can can deliver targeted advocacy campaigns.

Activate your brand fans - With Mention Me, you can acquire high-value customers through advocacy campaigns and attract future ones through paid performance channels. With behavioural AI modelling, you’re able to predict which segment of your customer base is likely to advocate for your brand.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While implementing Name Share® can greatly enhance referral marketing efforts, it's important to avoid common mistakes, such as:

Overcomplicating the process - Keep the referral process simple and user-friendly. Avoid asking customers for excessive information or creating unnecessary steps, as this can discourage participation.

Neglecting the customer on their advocacy journey - Don’t overlook points of delight along the customer journey. We use referral data to inform an algorithm that determines each customer’s Propensity to Refer™ (PTR) – this predicts how likely they are to make a referral when offered the chance. Failure to meet your customers when and where they are along their journey may lead to missed opportunities and a loss of potential customers. 

Conclusion: Why Name Share® is a Game Changer in Referral Marketing

Name Share® has revolutionised the way brands can leverage word-of mouth referral marketing. By personalising the referral experience, this powerful method enhances trust, credibility, and conversion rates. 

With successful implementation, brands can tap into the vast potential of their existing customer base to drive revenue growth and establish long-lasting customer relationships. Embrace the power of Name Share® to unlock the true potential of your referral marketing campaigns.

Ready to discover more top tips for making your referral programme a roaring success?

Check out our guide to running a successful referral programme.

GET THE REFERRAL MARKETING GUIDE

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