How do I build a customer referral program in Zoho CRM?

Use a Referred By lookup on Leads and Contacts to record who referred each new customer, capture referrals through a web form with that field, and add a workflow that tags the referrer and creates a reward task when the referred deal is won. Reports then show referrals, conversion and rewards owed. Zoho Campaigns or Marketing Automation can send the referral invitations.

Start with data. Add a lookup field on Leads and Deals pointing to the referring Contact or Account, plus a field for referral status. Build a Zoho CRM web form, or a Zoho Forms form, that asks for the friend's details and the referrer's email, so the lead is linked automatically. A unique link per customer is possible with a hidden field filled from the URL.

Then automate the reward. A workflow on Deals can run when the stage becomes Closed Won and the deal has a referrer. It can update the referrer's record, create a task for the account manager, or send a thank-you email. If rewards are credits or discounts, record them in a custom module so finance can see what is owed.

Keep it simple at first. One reward, clear rules, and a monthly report of referrals, conversions and rewards paid will tell you if it is worth expanding. If you would rather have this set up for you, Flowpeak can design the fields, forms and workflows.

Written by Flowpeak, a Zoho implementation partner. Zoho pricing and features change, so confirm current details on the official Zoho site. Free checklists | Ask us a question