Free Guide · Word of mouth

Refer-a-Friend Programmes That Work

Turn happy parents into your best recruiters

23 pages35 min readPDF

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About this guide

Word of mouth is the channel most dance schools rely on, and the channel most never actively run. This guide shows you how to turn the quiet recommendations that already happen into a properly run programme, with the offer design, timing, rewards, scripts and tracking to make it compound.

The two-sided offer formula that gets passed on
Reward ideas that motivate without breaking the bank
Copy-paste scripts for WhatsApp, the school gate and Facebook groups
A six-week annual push you can run every September
A tracking system you can run in five minutes a week
A one-page campaign planner you can fill in with your team

Inside this guide

Every chapter, summarised.

01
Why word of mouth beats every other channel
Why referrals out-convert everything else, and the mindset shift studios miss.
02
Why parents actually recommend you
The five things parents share, and what to invest in.
03
The maths of a referral
Lifetime value worked through, so you know what a reward is worth.
04
Designing the offer
The formula that works, plus three example offers ordered by ambition.
05
Rewards that actually motivate
What works in practice, and the rewards to avoid.
06
When and how to ask
The five high-trust moments and the one-line teacher script.
07
Scripts parents can use
WhatsApp, school-gate and Facebook group wording, ready to paste.
08
Graphics and assets to share
The minimum viable kit and what the referral page should contain.
09
Tracking and crediting referrals
A simple system you can run in five minutes a week.
10
Welcoming a referred family well
The first two weeks decide whether the referrer feels vindicated.
11
Common pitfalls
Eight ways programmes quietly die, and how to avoid them.
12
The annual referral push
A six-week structure you can run every September.
13
Building a culture of recommendation
Small habits that compound across teachers, admin and parents.
14
Measuring what matters
Three numbers, reviewed monthly, on a wall everyone sees.
15
Pre-launch checklist
Offer, assets and process checks before you launch.
16
Worksheet: referral campaign planner
Plan your next push on one page with your team.