Pick one reward and keep it simple
A reward should fit in one sentence. The two that work for waitlists are:
- Move up the line: each friend who joins raises your priority.
- Unlock access: bring a set number of friends and get in straight away.
Count a referral only when the friend confirms
If a referral counts the moment an email is typed, people will type made-up addresses. Count it when the invited friend clicks the confirmation link in their inbox. This one rule removes most abuse.
Block the obvious tricks
- Referring yourself with a second address.
- Many sign-ups from the same network in a short time.
- Sudden bursts of referrals faster than a person could share a link.
Show each person their progress
People share more when they can see the result. Show the personal link, how many friends have joined through it, and what that has done to their place in line. Put the link where they already look, next to their position, with a button to copy it.
Decide what the reward means at launch
If referrals raise priority, invite by priority when you open access, or the reward was empty. If you plan to invite in sign-up order, use the unlock rule instead, so the people who shared still get what they were promised.
Referrals in Lunch Room
Every person in a Lunch Room gets a referral link in the window next to their place in line. You choose the rule in the dashboard: track only, boost priority for each referral, or unlock access after a number of referrals. A referral counts once the invited friend confirms their email. Self-referrals, same-network referrals and unusually fast bursts are recorded but earn nothing.