Connect Mailchimp and save the Audience GrowSurf should sync

Inside GrowSurf, connect Mailchimp, choose the Audience you want to use, and save the integration before participants start flowing. That gives Mailchimp the referral fields it needs for automated branching and message personalization.

Pick one automation goal for each flow

The strongest Mailchimp referral automations usually focus on a single job: remind people to share, congratulate people after they earn credit, or push people toward the next milestone. Keeping the flow narrow makes it easier to choose the right GrowSurf fields and write the right copy for each step.

Use GrowSurf fields to decide what message someone gets next

• Use *|TREFCOUNT|* to separate participants who have never referred anyone from people already sharing successfully.
• Use *|REFSTATUS|* when the message should change after a referral is credited.
• Use *|NXTREWARD|* or *|NXTMREWARD|* when you want the automation to reinforce the next milestone.

Match the email content to the branch condition

If the flow targets first-time sharers, keep the CTA centered on the personal share link. If the flow targets nearly-there advocates, use the next reward text to explain why one more referral matters. Let Mailchimp control timing and enrollment while GrowSurf provides the referral facts.

Test the happy path and the non-referrer path

Run at least one automation test for a participant with zero referrals and one for a participant who has already moved forward in the program. That catches most branching mistakes before the flow goes live.