Referral Program WhatsApp Templates
A referral message asks a happy customer to introduce a friend, and gives both sides a reason to say yes. WhatsApp is the natural home for this: the customer forwards your message into a family or friends group in two taps, which is exactly how word of mouth already travels in India. Ask only customers who have just told you they are happy.
Meta billing category
Templates on this page are typically approved as Marketing, billed at ~₹0.8631 per message (India).
Promotional — offers, launches, and re-engagement. Requires marketing opt-in, and an opt-out hint ("Reply STOP") is good etiquette that keeps your block rate and quality rating healthy.
Copy-ready templates
Replace the {{placeholders}} with your platform’s variables before submitting to Meta for approval.
1. Referral ask after good feedback
Thank you for the kind words, {{name}}! 🙏 If you know someone who would like {{store_name}}, share this with them — they get {{friend_reward}} on their first order, and you get {{referrer_reward}} when they buy. Your link: {{referral_link}} Reply STOP to opt out of offers.
Best for: Immediately after a 4–5 star rating. This is the single best moment to ask.
2. Forwardable message (write it for them)
Hi {{name}}! Here is a ready-to-forward message — just send it to anyone who might like it. 👇 ——— I shop at {{store_name}} and thought of you. Use my link and you get {{friend_reward}} off your first order: {{referral_link}} ——— Reply STOP to opt out of offers.
Best for: Removing the work. People refer far more when they do not have to compose anything.
3. Referral reward earned
Great news, {{name}} — {{friend_name}} just placed their first order! 🎉 Your reward of {{referrer_reward}} has been added to your account and applies automatically at checkout. Balance: ₹{{reward_balance}} Shop: {{shop_link}} Reply STOP to opt out of offers.
Best for: The moment the referral converts. Paying out fast is what drives a second referral.
4. Welcome the referred friend
Welcome, {{name}}! 👋 {{referrer_name}} sent you our way, so your {{friend_reward}} is already applied — nothing to enter. Start here: {{shop_link}} Any questions, just reply. A real person answers.
Best for: The referred person's first message. Naming the friend who sent them builds instant trust.
5. Gentle referral nudge to regulars
Hi {{name}}, you have ordered from {{store_name}} {{order_count}} times now — thank you! 💛 If you would introduce us to one person, we would be grateful. They get {{friend_reward}}, you get {{referrer_reward}}. Your link: {{referral_link}} Reply STOP to opt out of offers.
Best for: Loyal repeat buyers who have never referred anyone. Ask rarely — once or twice a year.
What each variable means
These 10 placeholders appear in the templates above. Map each one to the matching field in your WhatsApp platform before you submit for approval.
| Variable | What to put in it |
|---|---|
{{name}} | The customer's first name. |
{{store_name}} | Your business name, exactly as it appears on your WhatsApp profile. |
{{friend_reward}} | What the referred friend receives. |
{{referrer_reward}} | What the referring customer receives. |
{{referral_link}} | The customer's unique referral link. |
{{friend_name}} | Replace with the friend name for this message. |
{{reward_balance}} | Replace with the reward balance for this message. |
{{shop_link}} | Link to your storefront or catalogue. |
{{referrer_name}} | Replace with the referrer name for this message. |
{{order_count}} | Replace with the order count for this message. |
Frequently asked questions
When should I ask a customer for a referral?
Right after they tell you they are happy — a 4 or 5 star rating, a compliment in chat, or a repeat order. Asking a customer who has just had a problem, or one who has never bought, converts near zero and costs you goodwill. The single highest-yield trigger is an automatic referral ask fired off a positive feedback reply.
Should I reward both sides?
Yes. A one-sided reward makes the referrer feel like they are selling to their friend, which is exactly the discomfort that stops people referring. When the friend also gets something, forwarding the message becomes a favour rather than a pitch — and that reframing matters more than the size of either reward.
Related template sets
- Customer Feedback Request WhatsApp TemplatesA feedback request asks the customer to rate their purchase or experience, right inside WhatsApp where replying takes one tap. Feedback requests on WhatsApp see 30–40% response rates versus low single digits for email surveys — and an unhappy reply lands with you privately instead of as a public one-star review.
- Loyalty Program WhatsApp TemplatesLoyalty program messages tell customers what they have earned, what it is worth, and what they need to do to use it — points balances, tier upgrades, and expiry warnings. They work because they are not really promotions: you are telling someone about money they already own. WhatsApp beats an app for this, because there is no app to download and no password to remember.
- Birthday Offer WhatsApp TemplatesA birthday message wishes the customer well and, usually, gives them something — a discount, a free add-on, a small gift on their next visit. It is among the highest-response messages a business sends all year, because it is one of the very few that is genuinely about the customer rather than about you. Lead with the wish; make the offer secondary.
- Repeat Order Reminder WhatsApp TemplatesA repeat-order reminder nudges customers to reorder a consumable product just before it runs out, or win back customers who have gone quiet. Acquiring a new customer costs 5–7x more than reactivating an old one, and a well-timed "time to restock?" message on WhatsApp converts at 10–20% because it arrives exactly when the need resurfaces.
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