Integration Guide

How to Segment Intercom Users by Referral Activity with GrowSurf

Name: GrowSurf
Rating: 4.74 (47 reviews)
Author: GrowSurf

Create Intercom user segments based on GrowSurf referral data for targeted messaging and support.

Not all users interact with your referral program the same way. Some are active referrers generating multiple sign-ups, others joined but never shared, and many haven't heard about the program at all. By segmenting Intercom users based on their GrowSurf referral activity, you can deliver personalized messages, prioritize support, and create targeted campaigns that speak to each user's relationship with your referral program.

This guide covers creating Intercom segments using GrowSurf referral data, setting up targeted outbound messages for each segment, and using segments to enhance support interactions with referral context.

Integration Steps

Step 1: Sync Referral Attributes to Intercom

Ensure GrowSurf referral data is available as custom attributes on Intercom user profiles.

Required custom attributes:
- growsurf_participant (Boolean) — whether they're in the program
- growsurf_referral_count (Number) — how many people they've referred
- growsurf_referred_by (String) — who referred them (if applicable)
- growsurf_rewards_earned (Number) — total rewards earned
- growsurf_last_referral_date (Date) — when they last made a referral
Set up Zapier or direct API sync to keep attributes current

Step 2: Create Core User Segments

Build segments in Intercom based on referral program participation and activity.

Go to Users > Segments > Create Segment
"Referral Non-Participants": growsurf_participant is false — haven't joined yet
"Referral Participants": growsurf_participant is true — joined the program
"Active Referrers": growsurf_referral_count > 0 — have made at least one referral
"Top Referrers": growsurf_referral_count >= 5 — power users of the program
"Referred Users": growsurf_referred_by is not empty — came through a referral

Step 3: Build Targeted Messages for Each Segment

Create Intercom outbound messages tailored to each referral segment.

For Non-Participants: "Did you know about our referral program?" — program introduction
For Participants with 0 referrals: "Your referral link is waiting!" — sharing tips and motivation
For Active Referrers: "Keep the momentum!" — progress update and next milestone preview
For Top Referrers: "You're a VIP!" — exclusive perks announcement and personal thank-you
For Referred Users: "Welcome from [Referrer]!" — personalized onboarding acknowledgment

Step 4: Enhance Support with Referral Context

Give your support team visibility into each user's referral activity to personalize interactions.

Add referral attributes to the Intercom user sidebar by going to Settings > Inbox > User Sidebar
Show: participant status, referral count, and rewards earned
Support agents can see at a glance if they're helping a top referrer (VIP treatment)
After resolving a ticket for a non-participant, agents can mention the referral program

Step 5: Create Segment-Based Automation Rules

Set up Intercom automation rules that trigger based on segment membership changes.

When a user enters "Active Referrers" segment: send congratulatory message automatically
When a user enters "Top Referrers" segment: tag for VIP support queue, notify account manager
When a user in "Referral Participants" hasn't logged in for 30 days: send win-back message
Use Intercom's workflow automations or Series for these triggered actions

Step 6: Analyze Segment Performance

Track how each segment responds to your messaging and how segments evolve over time.

Monitor segment growth: track how quickly users move from Non-Participants to Active Referrers
Compare message engagement rates across segments
Track which segments have the highest referral conversion rates
Use Intercom's reporting to correlate referral activity with product usage and retention

Code Snippets

// Sync GrowSurf referral data to Intercom custom attributes
async function syncReferralToIntercom(participantData) {
  await client.users.update({
    email: participantData.email,
    custom_attributes: {
      growsurf_participant: true,
      growsurf_referral_count: participantData.referralCount || 0,
      growsurf_referral_link: participantData.shareUrl,
      growsurf_referred_by: participantData.referredBy || '',
      growsurf_rewards_earned: participantData.rewardsEarned || 0,
      growsurf_last_referral_date: participantData.lastReferralDate || null
    }
  });
}

// Intercom Segment Definitions (pseudo-config)
const segments = {
  nonParticipants: {
    name: 'Referral Non-Participants',
    rules: [
      { attribute: 'growsurf_participant', op: 'ne', value: true },
      { attribute: 'signed_up_at', op: 'gt', value: '30 days ago' }
    ]
  },
  activeReferrers: {
    name: 'Active Referrers',
    rules: [
      { attribute: 'growsurf_referral_count', op: 'gt', value: 0 }
    ]
  },
  topReferrers: {
    name: 'Top Referrers (VIP)',
    rules: [
      { attribute: 'growsurf_referral_count', op: 'gte', value: 5 }
    ]
  },
  dormantParticipants: {
    name: 'Dormant Participants',
    rules: [
      { attribute: 'growsurf_participant', op: 'eq', value: true },
      { attribute: 'growsurf_referral_count', op: 'eq', value: 0 },
      { attribute: 'growsurf_last_referral_date', op: 'before', value: '30 days ago' }
    ]
  }
};

Tips

Prioritize Support for Top Referrers

Your top referrers are effectively unpaid salespeople for your company. Give them priority support by routing their tickets to senior agents or faster queues. The goodwill you build with top referrers directly translates to more referrals and higher-quality advocates.

Use Segments for Churn Prevention

Monitor the "Referred Users" segment for churn signals. Referred users who become disengaged represent not just lost revenue but potential damage to the referrer's trust. Flag at-risk referred users for proactive outreach — keeping them happy keeps the referrer happy too.

Let Support Agents Trigger Referral Sign-Ups

Train support agents to mention the referral program after positive interactions. Create a saved reply in Intercom that agents can quickly send with the referral program details and a link to sign up. This personal touch converts better than automated messages.

FAQ

Can I use Intercom segments to trigger GrowSurf actions?

Not directly. Intercom segments are primarily used for Intercom's outbound messaging and targeting. To trigger GrowSurf actions based on segment changes, you'd need to use Intercom's webhooks or API to detect segment entry/exit and then call GrowSurf's API accordingly.

How do I keep segment data accurate when referral activity changes?

Set up real-time syncing from GrowSurf to Intercom via webhooks. Every time a GrowSurf event fires (new referral, conversion, etc.), update the corresponding Intercom user attributes. Intercom segments re-evaluate automatically when user attributes change, so segments stay current.

Should I create separate segments for each referral campaign if I run multiple?

Only if you need to target messages by campaign. For most use cases, a single set of referral segments works across all campaigns. Add a growsurf_campaign attribute if you need campaign-level segmentation, and use it as an additional filter within your existing segments.

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How to Segment Intercom Users by Referral Activity with GrowSurf

Integration Steps

Step 1: Sync Referral Attributes to Intercom

Step 2: Create Core User Segments

Step 3: Build Targeted Messages for Each Segment

Step 4: Enhance Support with Referral Context

Step 5: Create Segment-Based Automation Rules

Step 6: Analyze Segment Performance

Code Snippets

Tips

Prioritize Support for Top Referrers

Use Segments for Churn Prevention

Let Support Agents Trigger Referral Sign-Ups

FAQ

Can I use Intercom segments to trigger GrowSurf actions?

How do I keep segment data accurate when referral activity changes?

Should I create separate segments for each referral campaign if I run multiple?

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scaled for unicorns

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