We know referral programs work. But, if you’re investing time and money into a referral program, it makes sense that you’ll want to maximize the results. But the truth is, there isn’t really a one-size fits all referral program that works best for everyone. Instead, figuring out what referral program works best is a combination of picking the right threshold and reward for your event, and then promoting the program appropriately.
However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have advice to offer. In this blog, we look at some of the most successful programs from our 2025 Referral Rewards deep dive, and show you what they did well – and what types of events they work best for.
Jump Ahead:
The Best Tried and True Referral Program
Referral Threshold: 5 referrals
Refund Reward: $20
Reward Repeats: no repeats
Race Cost: $29.95-$139.95
Why the Referral Program Worked
This race maintained the default setup for referral rewards programs on RunSignup: a 5 referral threshold, for a single $20 reward. And there’s a reason it’s the default: for relatively low effort and cost, the referral program had consistent results. It’s not the highest referral rate or the lowest cost, but it’s reliable: 10.1% of registrations from referrals at just $1.19 per acquisition.
How the Race Encouraged Referrals
Automated Registration Follow-Up Email:
The race further automated it’s referral program by enabling and customizing the Automated Registration Follow-Up email to include a reminder to refer, along with the registrant’s unique referral URL.
Race Website
The race setup a page on their race website with the eye-catching title “Get Money Back”. Here, they detailed the referral program and encouraged people to share the event in exchange for a refund.
The Results
From Referrals
Who Made a Referral
Who Were New to the Race
of Referred Participants
The Best Referral Program Program To Maximize Referrals
Referral Threshold: 5 referrals
Refund Reward: $25
Reward Repeats: Every 5 referrals
Race Cost: $100
Why the Referral Program Worked
This race slightly modified the default referral program, reducing the increasing the refund by $5 and adding additional refunds with additional referrals. In addition to the work they did to promote referrals (below), two things made this referral program a success: the race is virtual, and the price point is relatively high. This means that A) interaction around the race happens online (like referrals) and B) there is a strong incentive to share the registration link. In the end, this race had the highest rate of referred registrations of any of the races we reviewed.
How the Race Encouraged Referrals
The race used Email V2 to send registrants details about the referral program, along with a reminder to invite their community. The race leaned heavily into virtual community as a reason to run, and the referral appeal fit right in: it’s a way to get a refund, but it’s also a way to get more people involved in something positive.
The Results
From Referrals
Who Made a Referral
Who Were New to the Race
of Referred Participants
The Best Referral Program to Get Everyone to Refer
The Referral Setup
Referral Threshold: 1 referral
Refund Reward: $2
Reward Repeats: Every Referral (to $10 total)
Race Cost: $42.95-$62.95
Why the Referral Program Worked
This race took an unusual tactic to encourage referrals: it offered a low refund ($2) at a very low threshold (1 referral), with the opportunity to earn up to a $10 refund by continuing to refer (with a $2 refund each time). While this doesn’t create a high level of investment in referring, the refund feels so accessible that many people share. This led to the highest rate of referrers of any event we reviewed, along with a very high rate of referred participants.
How the Race Encouraged Referrals
In addition to the automated referral pop-up upon the completion of registration, the race highlighted the referral opportunity in multiple ways:
Race Website:
The race highlighted the referral program on their race website, with an attention-grabbing graphic and an easy-to-understand explanation of how to earn a refund.
Automated Registration Follow-Up Email
The race set up automated registration follow-up emails to participants to remind them of the referral program, complete with a replacement tag giving them instant access to their referral URL.
The Results
From Referrals
Who Made a Referral
Who Were New to the Race
of Referred Participants
The Best Referral Program to Keep Costs Low
Referral Threshold: 5 referrals
Refund Reward: $10
Reward Repeats: Every 5 registrations
Race Cost: $35-$175
Why the Referral Program Worked
This race went low-risk, with a low-dollar refund ($10) for a relatively high threshold (5 referrals), and tiered rewards ($20 after 10 referrals and a total refund after 15 referrals). The result is less motivation to refer, with only 3.3% of participants making a referral. However, 5.7% of participants (84.2% of them new to the race) is still a good boost. And, it comes at a very low cost: just $0.57 per referral.
How the Race Encouraged Referrals
The race website highlights the referral program clearly and concisely, with an emphasis on how the program tiers up and a recommendation for where to share the link to get your referrals.
The Results
From Referrals
Who Made a Referral
Who Were New to the Race
of Referred Participants
Bonus: The Best Referral Program Program For High Cost Events
This race hasn’t happened yet (July race date), so these numbers are incomplete. However, their approach to referral rewards is different, and as such, worth taking a look at in-progress.
Referral Threshold: 4 referrals
Refund Reward: $100
Reward Repeats: 2 times ($150 after 6, $250 after 10)
Race Cost: $245-$265
Why the Referral Program is Working
Simply put: they are offering a lot of money for referrals. This obviously doesn’t work for low-cost events, but for a race with a high entry fee, it’s a huge motivating factor to have refunds that can actually cover the cost of the event. The flip side is obviously a higher cost per acquisition ($7.06); however, when you consider the high-dollar value of each additional registration, $7 for $250 doesn’t seem so bad. So far, it’s working, with 9.5% of registrations from referrals (87.3% of them new to the race). Events with high registration costs may want to consider a referral plan that’s bolder and a bit more aggressive.
How the Race Encourages Referrals
The blurb on their race website takes things a step further than most events. They include a link that takes participants to all their referral links in their RunSignup profile, making it quick and easy for participants to take action to join the referral program.
The Results (so far)
From Referrals
Who Made a Referral
Who Are New to the Race
of Referred Participants
Summary: What Referral Program Works Best for Your Race
If you’re left thinking “it seems like a lot of different referral programs work“…you’re right! There is no one referral program that’s right for every race. So, to help you sort through the pros and cons of the referral program options, here’s a quick chart.
| Your Goal | Referral Program Setup | Why It’s for You |
|---|---|---|
| Get started with referrals with a low overhead, reliable referral program. | 5 referrals >> $20 reward Single Tier | The default referral setup encourages referrals while limiting the number of people who will reach the refund. This program may not get you the most registrations, but it’ll consistently return 5%-10% with a low refund cost. |
| Maximize the number of referred registrations for my event. | 5 referrals >>$25 reward Additional Refunds for Every 5 Referrals | Supercharge your referral program with a slightly higher refund and the opportunity to keep earning. While you’ll spend a bit more on per-person acquisition, the cost remains very reasonable ($2.39 per referral) it can be worth it for the significant participation increase. |
| Get everyone to share my race. | 1 referral >> $2 reward Additional Refunds for Every Referrals (up to $10) | Races that don’t mind making many (small) refunds should consider this kind of out-of-the-box referral program. While there’s limited incentive for super-supporters who might otherwise share dozens of times, the ease of reaching these thresholds means a ton of people will be promoting your race. |
| Dip your toes in referrals while keeping potential costs low. | 5 referral >> $10 reward Additional Refunds for Every 5 referrals | If you’re nervous about the number of refunds you’ll be on the hook for, start with a lower refund amount (and a high threshold). You probably won’t see as many referrals as some events, but you can sleep easily knowing your costs will stay in check. |
| Expensive events willing to be aggressive to reach new participants. | 4 referral >> $100 reward Additional Refunds after 6 & 10 referrals | If you have a high price point and are willing to use some of your marketing budget towards referrals, the return on this one can be significant. |
But remember: referrals only work if people know about them. Make sure you’re adding details about your program to your website, enabling automated registration follow-up emails with reminders to refer, and promoting the program on your social media.