Figures such as these are lifelines. According to research<\/a> by the World Review of Business Research (WRBR), the banking sector industry is combating serious downturns in customer satisfaction.<\/p>\n While shifting to accommodate mobile customer<\/a> demands, banks simultaneously need to continue delivering a rewarding customer experience. Because customers nowadays are distrustful of the impersonal nature of finance, referral campaigns<\/a> are cashing more checks than ever. Like a small-town bank where everyone knows your name, word of mouth marketing is humanizing banking in a big way.<\/p>\n However, don\u2019t take my word for it. Let\u2019s see 7 great examples of banks using optimized referral marketing to help consumers deposit both earnings and trust in their financial institution. We\u2019ll look at specific channel strategies such as websites, landing page<\/a>s, email and FAQ sections to make sure we get the full picture.<\/p>\n #1 CitiBank \u2013 Referral Landing Page<\/strong><\/p>\n (Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n CitiBank uses internationally applicable principles of social proof<\/a> to encourage customers to refer associates for credit cards. Friendly cartoon avatars lend this landing page a youthful, social feel while effectively illustrating the availability of free cash. The blue on blue color palette keeps the mood tranquil and relaxed while ensuring the orange energy of CTA button stands out in sharp relief.<\/p>\n The language of \u201cLet\u2019s start referring\u201d coaxes visitors to think of referrals as they truly are: a chance to connect within their network. Copy here is simple and structured to match the design. CitiBank wants visitors to jump right to conversions, so the 4-line parallel structure at left speeds us along to the values that await.<\/p>\n When it comes to matters of layout and design, less is always more. This landing page is a great example of how childishly straightforward you can make a conversion process. And how simplistic driving engagement can be with a referral program.<\/p>\n #2 CitiBank \u2013 Referral Program FAQ Page<\/strong><\/p>\n (Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n A crisp layout accented with gold highlights gives this CitiBank referral page serious weight. However, the words, many though they may be, hold the real power. The brand does well to frame this page as a conversation shared within an inner circle, thereby granting it an air of exclusivity and prestige.<\/p>\n The copy is both precise and grandiose, warming readers to how easy it is to \u201cintroduce a potential client\u201d to \u201cyour CitiGold International Relationship Manager.\u201d Yet, only if our referrals are deemed \u201csuccessful\u201d can we earn ourselves a fancy Apple Sport Watch (pictured) or $500 smackeroos.<\/p>\n Cheers to CitiBank for flipping referral tactics on their head and guarding the gates with some good old-fashioned reverse psychology<\/a>. By depriving customers the security of a guaranteed reward, the bank increases engagement while retaining customers<\/a> and their interested attention.<\/p>\n #3 Western Financial Credit Union \u2013 Referral Landing Page<\/strong><\/p>\n (Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n Western\u2019s video landing page is a perfect example of how to simultaneously drive engagement and reshape image. The YouTube screen shimmers bright yellow to inspire enthusiasm and the bold blue relates feelings of brand loyalty<\/a>. Viewers are treated to a lighthearted yet informative journey which clearly shows both avatars loving the new Unify experience.<\/p>\n Stimulating visual aids and persuasive copy will remain permanent fixtures in any convincing brand message. This transitional company knows that to retain clients and convert new customers requires a deft personal touch and a voice never before seen their industry. \u201c<\/p>\n \u201cRewardiness\u201d is a perfectly fun way to describe a referral program. It\u2019s both informal and enticing to customers already willing to bring friends along for the benefits.<\/p>\n The playful slogan \u201cGood Friends Deserve Good Rewards\u201d is clarified by two different bullet lists below. Supporting copy makes smart use of bold, outstanding font and spells out exactly how incoming viewers can achieve the $25 value by partnering up with Unify.<\/p>\n #4 HSBC \u2013 Referral Landing Page<\/strong><\/p>\n (Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n Clean and direct, the HSBC website emphasizes the importance of having a rewarding relationship with your bank. As the desirable photo shows, enjoying great times with besties is about being a good friend first. Banking upon the psychological pull of exclusivity here, HSBC invites us to \u201cShare the Experience,\u201d but first we must invest a bit more with them. The bank boldly highlights the $1,000 valuation and enviable good times to be had by moving forward with them.<\/p>\n Banking on the psychological pull of exclusivity, HSBC invites us to \u201cShare the Experience,\u201d but first we must invest a bit more with them. The bank boldly highlights the $1,000 valuation and enviable good times to be had by moving forward with them.<\/p>\n Banking upon the psychological pull of exclusivity here, HSBC invites us to \u201cShare the Experience,\u201d but first we must invest a bit more with them. The bank boldly highlights the $1,000 valuation and enviable good times to be had by moving forward with them.<\/p>\n Unmistakably clear in honest white, the value proposition coordinates with a vivid red copy box to communicate action and enthusiasm. Tying in brand image with color theory<\/a> proves effective here: Seize the day before a good thing\u2019s gone! The boxy design layout helps move readers\u2019 eyes and actions around the page, creating a consistent format and helping us read each bit of text. Spiraling outward, the visual hierarchy first centers on<\/p>\n The boxy design layout helps move readers\u2019 eyes and actions around the page, creating a consistent format and helping us read each bit of text. Spiraling outward, the visual hierarchy first centers on<\/p>\n The boxy design layout helps move readers\u2019 eyes and actions around the page, creating a consistent format and helping us read each bit of text. Spiraling outward, the visual hierarchy first centers on action first but then provides necessary information on the periphery for those who can\u2019t convert immediately.<\/p>\n #5 GTE Bank \u2013 Referral Landing Page<\/strong><\/p>\n (Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n Accessible via the \u201cMember Benefits\u201d section, GTE Bank suggests to customers the added benefits of making referrals. Our first impression of this page is smiling faces, framed in a trustworthy shade of blue and vibrant, enthusiastic green. GTE Bank adds more excitement to the referral process by punctuating their headline and sentences with repeated exclamation points. Engaging customers is as much about making an appropriate recommendation as it is about sharing value.<\/p>\n GTE Bank adds more excitement to the referral process by punctuating their headline and sentences with repeated exclamation points. Engaging customers is as much about making an appropriate recommendation as it is about sharing value.<\/p>\n That said, bright reminders of the \u201cunlimited\u201d dollars available to us are sprinkled across the screen. By highlighting and bolding certain phrases in color, the bank helps move the reader through the informational copy and into the good stuff: \u201cHow to get your $25.\u201d Giving a list simplifies steps while the action verbs \u201cProvide, \u201cBe enrolled\u201d and \u201cHave\u201d remind us of the socially rewarding aspect to<\/p>\n Giving a list simplifies steps while the action verbs \u201cProvide, \u201cBe enrolled\u201d and \u201cHave\u201d remind us of the socially rewarding aspect to making referrals.<\/p>\n To retain happy clients and maximize potential conversions, instructive and actionable language is a must. GTE Bank shows us that when dealing with money, clear and concise copy wins every time.<\/p>\n #6 Capital One \u2013\u00a0Refer a Friend Landing Page<\/strong><\/p>\n (Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n Capital One banks upon widely recognized social share call to action buttons to carry them to increased conversions. The brand succeeds by using an all-American color arrangement atop an easy-to-use block layout.<\/p>\n With a simple design, customers\u00a0hardly need read the copy to understand that the \u201cRefer a Friend\u201d campaign is going to make them and their pals some easy cash. A simple glance to top-left, top-right and finally landing upon the four, perfectly consistent \u201cRefer\u201d CTA links reveals each essential piece of the referral process.<\/p>\n (Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n This referral call to action<\/a>\u00a0is taken from a separate page\u00a0that Capital One uses to promote their new online banking app. Highlighting the importance of a mobile optimized referral program<\/a>, this bank is following the trend towards handheld convenience and shares between friends.<\/p>\n We see that the design remains consistent, which is great for keeping viewers on the same page across all channels. Promoting action such as \u201cUpgrade\u201d and reinforcing the convenience of \u201ccourtesy,\u201d Capital One positions itself as our trusty \u201cNew Best Friend\u201d who\u2019ll help us make the switch to online banking.<\/p>\n Our new \u2018best friend\u2019\u00a0encourages us to widen our circle of friends, using navy blue emblems to signal both feelings of assurance and the great benefits that await once we make the invites.<\/p>\n The hallmark of an optimized referral campaign<\/a> is segmenting user engagement across different account signups, giving Capital One additional insights into the best practices for retaining and converting these customers in the future.<\/p>\n #7 Capital One \u2013 Refer a Friend Email<\/strong><\/p>\n (Source<\/a>)<\/p>\n Again, Capital One wastes no time delivering immediate value with this follow-up email for referring customers. Optimized referral marketing campaigns<\/a> hinge upon perfectly tight email subject lines such as the one above.<\/p>\n As the first impression, readers are drawn in by self-referential copy that communicates explicit value and \u201cjust\u201d happened newness. The body copy starts with a friendly acknowledgement of the referral success then gives us the scoop on how our friend is doing (always appreciated).<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/saasquatch-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com\/assets\/5-citibank-credit-card-referral-program-example-landing-page-1024x535.png\")
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