Pay Per Lead: How Service Businesses Can Use Referral Marketing

When people hear "referral program," they usually think of e-commerce - share a link, someone buys, you get a cut. But what about businesses where customers don't buy online?

That's where Pay Per Lead comes in.

What is Pay Per Lead?

Instead of paying promoters when someone makes a purchase, you pay them when someone enquires, signs up, or books an appointment. The "conversion" is the lead itself - not the final sale.

This is perfect for businesses where:

• The sale happens offline or over the phone
• There's a consultation or assessment before purchase
• The product/service is high-value and requires a conversation

Who benefits most?

Insurance & Financial Services

Pay $30-50 per qualified lead. Your promoters refer friends who need insurance - they fill out a contact form, you get the lead, the promoter gets paid.

Real Estate & Property

Pay $50-100 per viewing enquiry. Property agents can activate their network to find buyers and renters. Every serious enquiry is worth the bounty.

Clinics & Healthcare

Pay $15-30 per new patient booking. Dental clinics, aesthetic clinics, physiotherapists - existing patients refer new ones through their personal networks.

Tuition & Education

Pay $20-40 per trial class registration. Parents are the ultimate referral network - they talk to other parents constantly about their kids' tuition.

Gyms & Fitness Studios

Pay $10-20 per trial session sign-up. Members bring their friends, the studio gets new leads, and the member earns a reward.

Wedding & Events

Pay $30-50 per enquiry. Recently married couples refer their vendors to newly engaged friends - it's a natural referral cycle.

How to set it up

1. Create a program on ReferSales - choose "Pay Per Lead" as the commission type
2. Set your bounty - e.g. $25 per qualified lead
3. Add tracking - paste the code on your landing page and your "thank you for enquiring" confirmation page
4. Invite promoters - share with existing customers, partners, or anyone in your network

When someone clicks a promoter's link and fills out your contact form, the promoter gets credited automatically.

How much should you pay per lead?

A good rule of thumb: pay 5-10% of the average customer lifetime value.

• If a new patient is worth $500 over their lifetime → pay $25-50 per lead
• If a new insurance policy is worth $2,000 in commissions → pay $100-200 per lead
• If a gym membership is worth $600/year → pay $30-60 per lead

The math should always work in your favour. You're paying for qualified leads that you couldn't reach through ads alone.

Get started today

ReferSales makes it simple to set up a Pay Per Lead program. No developers, no complex integrations - just set your bounty and start tracking.

Create your Pay Per Lead program →