When a Marygrove customer recommends the company to a friend, there's a good chance that friend ends up with a new awning. Since launching its referral program in September 2025, Marygrove has turned 3,062 referred visitors into 998 consultation requests and 611 completed jobs. Nearly one in three referred visitors asked for a consultation, and six in ten of those consultations became finished projects.
Marygrove has more than 90 years of experience in retractable awnings, shades and pergolas. Until recently, its referral program ran the old-fashioned way: someone processed each reward by hand and mailed a check. Moving to ReferralHero changed that. Now customers share a referral link, referred customers get $100 off when they request a consultation, and advocates earn gift cards that grow after their second completed referral.
Here's a look at how Marygrove set up its home improvement referral program, from the reward structure and referral flow to the campaigns that keep it going and the results so far.
Results at a glance
The Challenge: Mailing Referral Checks by Hand
Marygrove's customers were already sending friends and neighbors its way. The trouble was everything that happened after. Each referral payout had to be processed by hand and mailed as a check, and there was no way to remind customers about the program or follow up with them automatically.
"We were processing referrals manually via check and had no way of automating referral marketing to our customers." — Joshua Eberly, Marygrove
Marygrove had never used a formal referral system before, so it was starting from scratch.
The Solution: Automated Referrals With Rewards Set Below Acquisition Cost
Moving the program onto ReferralHero took the manual work out. Referrals are tracked automatically, rewards unlock on their own when a referral reaches a milestone, and email and SMS messages go out without anyone on the team hitting send.
The program tracks two milestones for every referral: the consultation request and the completed job. Each milestone unlocks a different reward. Referred customers get their $100 discount when they request a consultation. Advocates get their gift card once that referral completes a job.
The reward amounts came from a simple question: what does Marygrove already spend to win a new customer?
"We looked at our cost to acquire a new customer and set an incentivized payout that was lower." — Joshua Eberly, Marygrove
Keeping payouts under that number means every completed referral comes in below Marygrove's usual cost of acquiring a customer.
Referral Program Rewards: $100 Off for Friends, Up to $200 for Advocates
Both sides of every referral get something, and the customers who keep referring get more.
Referred customer reward
A referred customer gets $100 off as soon as they request a consultation. Because it unlocks at the consultation stage, it gives the new customer a reason to take that first step and see what Marygrove's awnings could do for their outdoor space.
Advocate rewards
Advocates earn a $100 gift card for each of their first two referrals that complete a job. From the third completed referral on, every additional one earns a $200 gift card. Doubling the reward after two referrals gives Marygrove's most active customers a reason to keep recommending the company. For more on structuring rewards like this, see our guide to referral rewards.
How Marygrove's Referral Program Works: Participant Flow
Step 1: A Customer Shares Their Referral Link
Existing Marygrove customers share their personal referral link with friends, family and anyone else who might want to upgrade their outdoor space.
Step 2: The Referral Requests a Consultation
When someone follows the link and requests a consultation, the referral is tracked in the program and credited to the advocate. At this point the referred customer unlocks their $100 discount.
Step 3: The Referral Completes the Job
The referred customer moves through Marygrove's sales and installation process, from consultation to completed job. Completion is the milestone that makes the advocate eligible for a gift card.
Step 4: The Advocate Earns a Gift Card
The advocate receives a $100 gift card for each of their first two completed referrals, then a $200 gift card for every completed referral after that.
Step 5: New Customers Become Advocates
Once a referred customer's job is completed, they receive onboarding messages that introduce them to the referral program. Each new customer then has their own chance to refer friends and earn the same rewards.
Referral Program Launch: A Fast Start in September 2025
Marygrove launched its referral program in September 2025, and it didn't take long to see it working.
"We launched the program in September and instantly saw results within the dashboard. We knew it would be a huge success given the initial response." — Joshua Eberly, Marygrove
Website Integration
Marygrove added a Referral Program button to the top navigation menu of its website. Clicking it takes visitors straight to the program's signup page, so customers don't have to search for a way to join. If you're planning your own launch, our guide on how to set up a referral program covers the steps.
Customer-Led Social Sharing
Early on, no official posts about the program were found on Marygrove's own social accounts. Customers still shared it: one was spotted posting their referral link on Facebook, putting Marygrove in front of their own network.
Referral Program Ongoing Promotion: Social Campaigns, Email and SMS
A launch gets a program started. Keeping it in front of customers takes more, so Marygrove uses several channels at once: its website, Facebook and Instagram, email campaigns, post-purchase emails, outreach after positive reviews, and ReferralHero's automated email and SMS.
Website Accessibility
The Referral Program button stays in the website's main navigation, so the signup page is always one click away.
Social Content
Marygrove's Facebook and Instagram campaigns tie referrals to the outdoor lifestyle its customers buy into, and to the memories they make under their awnings.
Instagram: National Awning Week. During National Awning Week, Marygrove ran daily themed challenges. The first, Day 1: Personal Sanctuary, asked followers to share photos of their favorite outdoor spaces and refer friends to earn extra points. Points counted toward a $50 gift card and a grand-prize giveaway of three 36-inch Blackstone grills, and participants signed up and tracked their points on a dedicated campaign page.
Facebook: community challenges. On Facebook, Marygrove asked customers to share photos of hosting friends and family in their outdoor spaces, like backyard barbecues, birthday dinners and game nights. Posting a photo in the comments earned points, and sharing the campaign or referring friends earned more. The same $50 gift card and Blackstone grill giveaway applied.
Both campaigns tie referral activity to seasonal themes and photos of customers' own outdoor spaces. Points-based campaigns like these are one way to ask for referrals without a hard sell.
Automated Email and SMS
According to Marygrove's team, the automated email flows sent after purchase drive more referrals than any other channel.
ReferralHero's automated messages cover each group in the program:
• Advocates get a notification when someone clicks their referral link and when a referred customer requests a consultation.
• Referred customers get onboarding messages introducing the referral program after their job is completed.
• All subscribers get reminders and follow-ups that keep the program in mind.
Referral Program Results: 611 Completed Jobs Since September 2025
Since launch, the program has enrolled 76,679 subscribers and brought 3,062 referred visitors to Marygrove. Of those visitors, 998 requested a consultation, and 611 of those consultations turned into completed jobs.
Why These Numbers Matter
The 32.6% conversion rate stands out first. Nearly one in three people who clicked a customer's referral link went on to ask for a consultation. For comparison, Solatube Home's referral program converted 19.1% of referred visitors into quote requests.
The follow-through holds up too. Six in ten referred consultations, 611 of 998, became completed jobs. Put another way, roughly one in five people who arrived through a referral link ended up with a finished project.
Customers also did a lot of the legwork. Advocates shared their referral links 4,942 times, bringing Marygrove to people in their own networks.
And all of that activity got rewarded. Marygrove has issued 1,446 rewards valued at $64,650, with payouts set below its cost to acquire a new customer. Before ReferralHero, every one of those payouts would have meant processing and mailing a check.
Key Lessons for Running a Home Improvement Referral Program
1. Price Rewards Off Your Customer Acquisition Cost
Marygrove started from its cost to acquire a new customer and set the payouts lower. You can run the same math with our referral marketing ROI calculator.
2. Give the Referred Customer a Reason to Act Early
The $100 discount unlocks when the referred customer requests a consultation, not after the job. That puts the incentive at the step where a prospect decides whether to reach out at all.
3. Reward Your Most Active Advocates More
Advocates earn $100 for each of their first two completed referrals and $200 for every one after that. The structure gives customers a clear reason to keep referring.
4. Automate the Follow-Up
Marygrove's top referral driver is the automated email flow after purchase. Advocates are notified automatically when their link is clicked and when a referral requests a consultation, and new customers are invited into the program after their job is completed. A proper referral tracking system is what makes that possible.
5. Make Promotion Fun
National Awning Week turned referrals into a game, with daily photo challenges, points and prizes. That gave customers something more fun to share than a link on its own.
6. Get Help With the Setup
Marygrove's advice for other businesses is short and direct:
"Engage with the done for you option. Cost is easily recouped." — Joshua Eberly, Marygrove
ReferralHero's done-for-you plans handle the program build, including rewards, conversion events and automated email and SMS.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many jobs has Marygrove's referral program generated?
Marygrove's referral program has generated 611 completed jobs and 998 consultation requests from 3,062 referred visitors since it launched in September 2025.
What conversion rate did Marygrove's referral program achieve?
32.6% of referred visitors requested a consultation, and 611 of the 998 consultation requests (61%) became completed jobs.
What rewards does Marygrove offer for referrals?
Referred customers get a $100 discount when they request a consultation. Advocates get a $100 gift card for each of their first two referrals that complete a job, and a $200 gift card for every completed referral after that.
How did Marygrove decide on its referral reward amounts?
Marygrove looked at its cost to acquire a new customer and set its referral payouts below that number.
How does Marygrove promote its referral program?
Marygrove promotes its program through a Referral Program button in its website navigation, Facebook and Instagram campaigns, email campaigns, post-purchase emails, outreach after positive reviews, and ReferralHero's automated email and SMS. Its team says the automated email flows after purchase drive the most referrals.
How did Marygrove handle referrals before ReferralHero?
Marygrove processed referral payouts manually by check and had no way to automate referral marketing. It had never used a formal referral system.
What's next for Marygrove's referral program?
Over the next 6 to 12 months, Marygrove plans to test new reward structures and run specific referral campaigns.
Conclusion
Before September 2025, Marygrove was processing referral payouts by hand and mailing checks. Now every referral is tracked, rewards go out automatically, and post-purchase emails keep the program in front of new customers. Since launch, that has added up to 3,062 referred visitors, 998 consultation requests and 611 completed jobs.
For Joshua, the bigger change goes beyond the numbers:
"Modernized our referral program to be in line with the rest of our marketing stack. Has allowed us to expand with confidence." — Joshua Eberly, Marygrove
Next up, Marygrove plans to test new reward structures and run more targeted referral campaigns.
If you run a home improvement business and want results like these, take Marygrove's advice and start with the done-for-you option. Book a demo to see how ReferralHero would set it up for you.
For more results, browse our case studies, including Solatube Home, Trash Daddy, Legends Camps and a fitness app's referral program. You can also read about running a referral program as a small business.
