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A Referral Program For MASK

Referral program design for user growth

CLIENT

Mask

ROLE

Product Designer

EXPERTISE

UX Research, UI Design

Date

February 2025

A referral Program For Mask

Referral program design for user growth

CLIENT

Mask

ROLE

Product Designer

Date

Feb 2025

01

Introduction

At the time, our Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) was dangerously close to our Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV), threatening long-term profitability. While improving our contact management flows, we uncovered a potential solution: a seamless referral program that could leverage users’ existing networks to drive organic growth.

The Challenge

With limited time, no extra budget for research, and restricted access to user testing, we faced a tough question: Could we design a successful referral program under these conditions?

Disclaimer: To get the most out of this case study I recommend viewing it on desktop.

The company’s current Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) was alarmingly close to the Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV), threatening long-term profitability. While working on the contact management flows, we realised there was an untapped opportunity to turn a user’s existing contacts into a tool for organic growth—by introducing a seamless referral program.

However we faced some hurdles: limited time, no extra budget for research, and restricted access to user testing. The question was: Could we create a good referral program under these conditions?

02

Secondary Research

We turned to secondary research for guidance:

  • 92% of customers trust recommendations from friends more than ads.

  • Referred customers are 37% more likely to stay long-term.

  • Referral programs can cut CAC by up to 13%.

  • Competitor Analysis: While some competitors had solid referral systems, others struggled with low engagement due to poor flow design and lack of incentives. This highlighted a key opportunity to create a simple, user-friendly program that aligned with our brand's focus on privacy.

This data made it clear: a strong referral program could lower CAC and improve retention—two critical goals for us.

Competitor analysis matrix

Competitor analysis matrix

03

User Research & Analytics

Existing Insights: Users Were Already Referring

We didn’t have a formal referral system, but our NPS of 36 indicated a strong base of promoters. Despite this, only 6% of users who uploaded contacts actually used the invite flow. Our 90% retention rate dropped to 67% by month 5, signaling that bringing more friends on board could improve retention.

User surveys revealed a key insight: Users wanted an easier way to invite friends.

NPS Score from user survey

NPS Score from user survey

Insights from Braze customer data platform

Insights from Braze customer data platform

User quotes from open ended survey questions

User quotes from open ended survey questions

04

Before

Before

Before

Pain Points in the Old Referral Flow

  • No clear incentives for sharing.

  • Basic invite message with no download link.

  • No feedback loop to track success.

  • One-size-fits-all approach that ignored user preferences.

Pain Points in the Old Referral Flow

  • No clear incentives for sharing.

  • Basic invite message with no download link.

  • No feedback loop to track success.

  • One-size-fits-all approach that ignored user preferences.

Pain Points in the Old Referral Flow

  • No clear incentives for sharing.

  • Basic invite message with no download link.

  • No feedback loop to track success.

  • One-size-fits-all approach that ignored user preferences.

Screens from old referral flow

Screens from old referral flow

05

After: Solution

After: Solution

After: Solution

We revamped the referral flow with these improvements:

  1. Personalised invites with a direct download link.

  2. Clear rewards for both the referrer and invitee.

  3. Tailored rewards based on user group and subscription level.

  4. Feedback loop: Users could track invites and get notified when their invitee took action.

  5. Integrated seamlessly into the app’s design for a consistent experience.

We revamped the referral flow with these improvements:

  1. Personalised invites with a direct download link.

  2. Clear rewards for both the referrer and invitee.

  3. Tailored rewards based on user group and subscription level.

  4. Feedback loop: Users could track invites and get notified when their invitee took action.

  5. Integrated seamlessly into the app’s design for a consistent experience.

Flow diagram for different user groups

Flow diagram for different user groups

Premium Referee Referral

Top: Referee Bottom: Referral

07

Next steps

Next steps

Next steps

This pilot exceeded expectations in driving referrals, reducing CAC, and improving retention. Moving forward, we plan to:

  • A/B test incentive structures to optimize the program.

  • Track long-term retention to measure sustainable growth.

We’ll also explore features like automated reminders for non-referring users and tiered rewards for more successful referrers.

Disclaimer: To respect privacy and confidentiality, this case study has been altered to remove company names and product details, while sanitising any sensitive data. The design process and solutions showcased continue to accurately reflect my work and expertise.

This pilot exceeded expectations in driving referrals, reducing CAC, and improving retention. Moving forward, we plan to:

  • A/B test incentive structures to optimize the program.

  • Track long-term retention to measure sustainable growth.

We’ll also explore features like automated reminders for non-referring users and tiered rewards for more successful referrers.

Disclaimer: To respect privacy and confidentiality, this case study has been altered to remove company names and product details, while sanitising any sensitive data. The design process and solutions showcased continue to accurately reflect my work and expertise.

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stefanies.ch

©

2025

How can
I help you?

Linkedin

Figma

Github

Email

Made with

🍫

stefanies.ch

©

2025

How can
I help you?

Linkedin

Figma

Github

Email

Made with

🍫

stefanies.ch

©

2025