So let me ask you - why does it feel wrong to ask for referrals at the end of a successful customer onboarding?
It’s probably because somewhere along the way, we decided that asking for referrals during onboarding feels "too salesy" or even "premature."
We worry about damaging the relationship we've worked so hard to build.
Although it can feel counterintuitive, the onboarding phase might actually be your best opportunity to generate high-quality referrals.
When customers experience rapid time-to-value and that special "wow moment," they're not just satisfied, they're excited.
And excited customers want to share.
And yes, I’d like my free newsletter content to prompt you to refer your peers to subscribe to The Onboarding Lab newsletter. Thanks! 😏 ↓
🧪 The Project: Referral Framework
Referrals in onboarding are missed opportunities that can not only bring in new leads early in the lifecycle but also elevate the onboarding team’s accomplishments within your company.
All it takes is some planning and structure to create a strategic plan. Here are the 5 steps I’d recommend taking.
Step 1: Identify & document referral milestones
Not all onboarding moments are created equal when it comes to referral potential. It would be bold and futile to ask for a referral after one small win with your product.
So first, identify specific milestones where customers experience significant value.
Example:
First successful use case implementation
First measurable ROI moment
Completion of training for all team members
First integration with their existing tech stack
These milestones trigger "peak experiences" for customers. I talked about this and how Disney use this psychological principle at their theme parks. ↓
Note these achievements down for each customer. Collate them to identify if a customer will be a strong advocate for your product and experience by the completion of onboarding.
Step 2: Create a value-first referral script
Craft a conversational script that focuses on mutual value rather than just asking for a favour.
Lean on the strong relationship you have built with the customer during the onboarding phase. Be direct and acknowledge their success.
Something like this:
"I'm thrilled to see how quickly you have [achieved specific result]. My team really prides themselves on partnering closely with our customers to make this happen. Thank you for your enthusiasm from day one!
Many of our customers tell us their industry peers face similar challenges with [relevant problem]. Would you be open to introducing us to one or two of them who might benefit from a similar solution?
As a thank you we’d love to offer you [access to our beta program, additional feature free of charge, free refresher training for your team in 6 months]."
This approach acknowledges their success, identifies a legitimate reason for the referral, and offers reciprocal value.
Step 3: Put a bow on it
This is a step that can really help to solidify customer relationships.
You should do this anyway to delight your customers and it’s an added bonus to get a referral from them.
Here are some examples of unexpected value:
Send a personalised video from your CEO congratulating them on their implementation success
Offer a free consultation with a subject matter expert on a related challenge
Create a custom insights report comparing their early results with anonymised industry benchmarks
I previously covered reviews and referrals from the standpoint of reciprocity. Check it out for the detail of why it works so well. ↓
Step 4: Make the referral process easy
If the customer is happy to refer you to a peer, remove any friction from them doing so.
The more steps and the longer the process means it will get dropped down their to do list and eventually forgotten.
Make it quick and simple.
Try these:
Create a simple digital form that takes less than 60 seconds to complete - say how long it will take and how many questions there are.
Offer to draft the introduction email for them - they can copy, paste, edit, send.
Provide clear talking points about your solution they can easily share - give them a list of bullet points.
Step 5: Incentivise the onboarding team
I am a big advocate for incentivising onboarding teams beyond CSAT and NPS.
Referral revenue in onboarding happens way ahead of expansions and renewals. It really should be incentivised!
Some things to consider:
Implement a referral bonus structure (per qualified meeting, additional percentage for closed deals)
Create team-based incentives to encourage collaboration
Recognise and celebrate "referral champions" in company-wide communications
🤓 The Analysis
If you don’t have a focus on referrals in onboarding at the moment, now is your chance to fix that.
If customers see value, get results, and enjoy the experience of working with you they will be more than happy to tell people about it.
You are just turning it into a more structured referral system that benefits the individual, the team, and the company.
What you'll achieve with this project:
Increase in qualified pipeline opportunities
Shortened sales cycles for referred prospects
Elevated perception of your onboarding team
