Integration Guide

How to Prompt Referrals in Intercom Messenger with GrowSurf

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

Display referral program prompts in Intercom's messenger to drive sign-ups from engaged users.

Your most engaged users are already chatting with you through Intercom — making it the perfect channel to introduce your referral program. By integrating GrowSurf with Intercom, you can display referral prompts in the Intercom Messenger at strategic moments: after a positive support interaction, during product tours, or when users hit usage milestones.

This guide walks you through creating Intercom messages that promote your GrowSurf referral program, targeting the right users at the right time, and tracking how Intercom-driven referral prompts convert into actual referral sign-ups.

Integration Steps

Step 1: Sync GrowSurf Data to Intercom User Profiles

Add referral program data to Intercom user profiles so you can target prompts based on referral activity.

Create custom attributes in Intercom for referral data:
- growsurf_participant (Boolean) — whether they've joined the referral program
- growsurf_referral_count (Number) — their referral count
- growsurf_referral_link (String) — their unique sharing URL
Use Zapier or your webhook handler to update Intercom users when GrowSurf events occur
Send updates via Intercom's REST API: POST /users with custom attributes

Step 2: Create a Referral Program Introduction Message

Design an Intercom message that introduces your referral program to users who haven't joined yet.

Go to Outbound > Messages > New Message
Choose "In-app" message type for maximum visibility
Target: Users where growsurf_participant is false AND session count > 3 (engaged users)
Write a compelling message:
- Headline: "Love [Product]? Earn rewards by sharing!"
- Body: Brief description of the reward and how it works
- CTA button: "Start Earning" — link to your GrowSurf referral page
Set frequency to show only once per user

Step 3: Display Post-Support Referral Prompts

Show a referral prompt after a positive support interaction — the moment when satisfaction is highest.

Create a message triggered by conversation rating (4-5 stars)
Or use a manual trigger: support agents can send the referral prompt after resolving a ticket
Message: "Glad we could help! Did you know you can earn [reward] by referring friends?"
Include a one-click CTA to join the referral program or share their link

Step 4: Add Referral Prompts to Product Tours

Include a referral step in your Intercom Product Tours to introduce the program during onboarding.

Go to Product Tours in Intercom
Add a step at the end of your onboarding tour
Show: "One more thing — share [Product] with friends and earn [reward]"
Point to the referral widget or sharing page in your app
This catches users at their most enthusiastic — right after discovering product value

Step 5: Create Targeted Banners for Active Users

Use Intercom's banner feature to display persistent referral CTAs to your most engaged users.

Go to Outbound > Banners > New Banner
Target: Users where session count > 10 AND growsurf_participant is false
Banner text: "Earn $10 for every friend you refer to [Product] → Start Referring"
Link the CTA to your referral landing page
Set the banner to dismiss after click or after 14 days

Step 6: Track Referral Prompt Performance

Measure how effective your Intercom referral prompts are at driving program sign-ups.

Track message open rates, click rates, and dismissal rates in Intercom's analytics
Cross-reference Intercom message clicks with GrowSurf participant creation timestamps
Calculate the conversion rate: Intercom prompt clicks → referral program sign-ups
A/B test different prompt messages, designs, and targeting rules to optimize conversion

Code Snippets

// Update Intercom user with GrowSurf referral data
const Intercom = require('intercom-client');
const client = new Intercom.Client({ tokenAuth: { token: process.env.INTERCOM_TOKEN } });

app.post('/api/growsurf-to-intercom', async (req, res) => {
  const { event, participant } = req.body;

  try {
    await client.users.update({
      email: participant.email,
      custom_attributes: {
        growsurf_participant: true,
        growsurf_referral_count: participant.referralCount || 0,
        growsurf_referral_link: participant.shareUrl,
        growsurf_referral_code: participant.referralCode
      }
    });

    // Optionally trigger an Intercom event for flow targeting
    await client.events.create({
      event_name: 'referral-program-joined',
      user_id: participant.email,
      created_at: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
      metadata: {
        referral_code: participant.referralCode
      }
    });

    res.json({ success: true });
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Intercom update error:', error);
    res.status(500).json({ error: error.message });
  }
});

// Intercom message targeting rules (pseudo-config):
const referralPromptTarget = {
  audience: {
    rules: [
      { attribute: 'growsurf_participant', operator: 'eq', value: false },
      { attribute: 'session_count', operator: 'gt', value: 3 },
      { attribute: 'last_seen_at', operator: 'within', value: '7 days' }
    ]
  }
};

Tips

Time Referral Prompts to Positive Moments

The best time to ask for a referral is when the user is happiest. Trigger prompts after they complete a key action (like finishing a project or hitting a goal), after a positive support interaction, or after they've been a customer for 30+ days. Never interrupt a frustrated user with a referral ask.

Don't Interrupt — Complement

Use Intercom's targeting rules to show referral prompts only to users who are not currently in a support conversation. Asking for a referral while someone is trying to resolve an issue is tone-deaf and will hurt your brand perception.

Use Intercom's Custom Bot for Interactive Referral Onboarding

Instead of a static message, create an Intercom Custom Bot that walks users through the referral program interactively. Ask if they're interested, explain the reward, and generate their referral link — all within the messenger chat. Interactive experiences convert better than passive messages.

FAQ

Can I embed the GrowSurf referral widget directly inside Intercom Messenger?

Intercom Messenger supports rich content including links and images, but not embedded JavaScript widgets. Instead, link to your referral landing page where the GrowSurf widget is embedded. Use Intercom's card-style messages to create a visually appealing CTA that drives users to the referral page.

How do I prevent showing referral prompts to users who are already in the program?

Target messages to users where growsurf_participant is false. When a user joins the referral program, the GrowSurf webhook updates this attribute to true, automatically excluding them from future referral introduction messages. They'll only see messages designed for active referrers.

What's the best Intercom message type for referral prompts?

In-app messages have the highest engagement for referral prompts because they appear within your product where the user is already active. Use "Post" style for detailed introductions and "Banner" style for subtle, persistent reminders. Email-type messages work well for reaching users who haven't logged in recently.

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How to Prompt Referrals in Intercom Messenger with GrowSurf

Integration Steps

Step 1: Sync GrowSurf Data to Intercom User Profiles

Step 2: Create a Referral Program Introduction Message

Step 3: Display Post-Support Referral Prompts

Step 4: Add Referral Prompts to Product Tours

Step 5: Create Targeted Banners for Active Users

Step 6: Track Referral Prompt Performance

Code Snippets

Tips

Time Referral Prompts to Positive Moments

Don't Interrupt — Complement

Use Intercom's Custom Bot for Interactive Referral Onboarding

FAQ

Can I embed the GrowSurf referral widget directly inside Intercom Messenger?

How do I prevent showing referral prompts to users who are already in the program?

What's the best Intercom message type for referral prompts?

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deepen your bond with customers

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scaled for unicorns

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Customer Examples