The Referral Program grows your studio by rewarding members who bring their friends in. It gives every member a personal referral link, tracks who they bring in, and hands out the rewards automatically — turning your happiest members into a steady source of new sign-ups.
- Referrer vs. referee
- The two referral types
- Setting it up (about 10 minutes)
- How members refer friends
- Reminders and prompts
- After you turn it on
Referrer vs. referee
Two terms are used throughout:
- Referrer — the existing member who shares their referral link or code. If a friend joins, the referrer gets the reward.
- Referee — the new member who signs up using that link or code. They may also get a reward, depending on how you set the program up.
In one line: the referrer invites, the referee joins.
The two referral types
You can run the program in one of two ways, depending on whether you want to lower the barrier for new members to try you, or reward actual purchases:
| Affiliate Link Referral | Classic Referral | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Getting new people through the door for a trial | Rewarding referrals that turn into real purchases |
| How it works | A member shares their link; the friend signs up through it | The referee buys a package directly |
| Reward | The referee gets money off (e.g. a discount on their trial pack) | Both the referee and the referrer get a reward (e.g. 1 free group class) |
| Trade-off | Lower barrier to entry, reward given earlier | Reward only paid when a purchase happens |
The type is defined by the reward and timing you choose in setup, below — you don't pick "Affiliate" or "Classic" as a label, you build the behaviour you want.
Setting it up (about 10 minutes)
Navigate to Leads → Referrals.
Step 1: Decide your rewards
Choose what the reward is:
- Money off — a discount via promo code (e.g. $20 off). Ideal for encouraging trial-pack sign-ups.
- Free package — free classes or credits for a successful referral (e.g. 1 free group class for both referrer and referee, or a reward for the referrer only).
Step 2: Set the reward conditions
Choose which packages count toward the program. You can exclude certain packages from being eligible — for example, excluding trial packages so a referral reward is only earned on a real purchase.
Step 3: Set the reward timing
Decide when the referee receives their reward:
- Immediately after signing up with a referral code, or
- Only after they purchase a package.
This timing choice is what makes your program behave like an Affiliate Link Referral (reward on sign-up, lower barrier) or a Classic Referral (reward on purchase). Click Save when done.
Step 4: Turn the program on
Switch on the Referral Program toggle at the top of the page. It's now live for your members.
Set your rewards, conditions, and timing before switching it on, so the first members to refer a friend get exactly the program you intended.
How members refer friends
Once the program is on, members do everything themselves from your booking website or branded app:
- Open "My Referrals" on the booking website or branded app.
- Copy their referral link — each member has their own.
- Share it. Their friend signs up using the link.
- Rewards are applied automatically to both members, based on the conditions you set.
Reminders and prompts
Vibefam helps keep the program active without you having to nag anyone:
- Monthly reminders encourage members to share their referral links.\
- A "Refer a Friend" prompt appears on the Buy Packages page of your booking website and branded app, so existing members are reminded exactly where they're most engaged.
After you turn it on
Spread the word
A referral program only works if members know it exists:
- Send a dedicated campaign via the Marketing feature explaining the rewards and how to share a referral link.
- Post on social to show how easy it is to bring a friend along to a session.
Track performance
Use the Referral Analytics to see whether it's paying off:
- Shares, clicks, and sign-ups — how the program is performing at each stage
- Reward cost vs. revenue — confirm the rewards bring in more than they cost
- Top referrers — identify and celebrate your most active advocates
Watch cost vs. revenue early. A generous reward drives sign-ups but eats margin — check the analytics in the first few weeks and adjust the reward if the numbers don't work.
Referrals join the top of your funnel — pair this with re-engagement marketing campaigns to keep both new and lapsed members active.