Choose a simple reward
A referral program lives or dies on how easy it is to explain. Pick one reward and describe it in a single sentence the team can repeat without notes. It might be a treatment credit for the client who refers and something for the friend, or a shared perk that both sides feel. Avoid tiers and multipliers at the start; a scheme nobody can summarise will not be passed on. When the reward is plain, clients become the ones doing the explaining.
Tie the reward to a completed visit
A referral should reward an arrival, not a name on a list. Set the reward to trigger when the referred client completes their first visit, so the programme rewards real introductions rather than casual mentions. This keeps the terms honest and stops the programme from being gamed. Write the rule where the team can find it, and say it the same way to every client who asks.
Give the client the tools
A client who wants to refer needs something to pass on: a short message they can forward, or a simple way to send the friend to the spa. Keep it to one step. If sharing the spa means copying a link, pasting a code, and explaining a form, most clients will not bother. Make it as easy as forwarding a text, and let the friend book directly from there. Keep the forwarded message short enough to send in a moment, and make sure the friend sees the spa name and a way to book without hunting for either.
Track referrals on the record
Record who referred whom on the client file, so the credit is given without an argument and the team can see which introductions turn into visits. When a new client mentions a friend, note it at booking. This lets the spa follow up on the referral properly and keeps the programme from relying on memory, which is where most referral disputes begin.
Thank both sides
When the visit is complete, acknowledge both the new client and the one who referred them. A short text to the referrer, sent when the friend actually arrives, is the moment the reward feels real and prompts the next introduction. Thanking the new client too sets the tone for their first return.
Review and refresh
Look at the programme on a steady rhythm: is the reward still worth passing on, and are introductions turning into visits? Adjust the terms when they stop landing, and tell clients clearly when you do. Keep consent, respect quiet hours, and honour stop requests, in line with Canadian anti-spam rules, so the messages stay welcome. Note which introductions came from a forwarded message and which came from a conversation, so you can tell whether the tool or the reward is doing the work.
Elevoi answers calls, books appointments, and sends SMS follow-ups, so a referral that comes in after hours is still captured and credited. Keep the programme inside the SMS marketing for salons plan, with an AI receptionist for massage spas ready to book the friends who call.