Uploading your first batch of vouchers is an essential step in getting your referral programme ready for launch. This guide is designed to help first-time users through the process of setting up rewards and uploading voucher codes during the onboarding phase of Mention Me.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- How vouchers work within the Mention Me platform
- How to create both Referrer and Referee rewards
- Step-by-step instructions for uploading your initial batches of voucher codes
- How to set voucher validity, usage rules, and other important configurations
- How to share a single voucher batch between multiple rewards when applicable
Only users with Marketing or Administrator access can upload new vouchers.
Please ensure all vouchers are uploaded to the MM Live platform.
Understanding How Vouchers Work in Mention Me
In our referral programs, we incentivise customers to refer their friends and make purchases at your brand by offering them rewards. These rewards can come in various forms, such as discounts, free delivery, Amazon gift cards, or other appealing options.
How It Works:
- Referrer Reward: Given to the customer (Referrer) who successfully refers a friend.
- Referee Reward: Aimed at encouraging the referred friend (Referee) to make their first purchase.
Every referral campaign includes both a Referrer reward and a Referee reward. To fulfill these rewards, you need voucher codes that match the promised offers (e.g., 20% off valid for 60 days). These vouchers are then distributed when customers engage with the referral offer.
Steps in the Mention Me Platform:
- Create the Reward: Define the rewards for both the Referrer and the Referee.
- Upload Voucher Codes: Attach the necessary voucher codes to each reward.
By following these steps, you ensure that every reward in an offer has the appropriate voucher codes for distribution, ensuring a smooth referral process for your customers.
Creating your first Rewards:
1. Access the Rewards page in the Content section of the platform.
Image highlighting where to access the Rewards page from the Dashboard
2. On the rewards page click on the Create a new reward drop down.
Image showing where to click to Create a new reward
3. Click on either Referrer reward or Referee reward in the dropdown.
If you are giving the same reward to Referrers and Referees (20% off each, for example), both Referrer and Referee rewards can contain voucher codes from the same batch, however, you will still need to create separate rewards for each, one for Referrers and one for Referees.
Image showing where to click to create the Referrer or Referee reward
4. Using the form, create your reward, defining things like: What type of reward it is and what value it is.
Image showing Reward setup page
You will need to update the following to set up a Referrer Reward.
- Reward is - There are multiple options for this; this is to determine what type of reward the customer will receive. Discount off next purchase, Free gift & 3rd party voucher are the most common.
Image showing the different reward is types available
- Value - The value of the reward which will be given to the customer.
- The Value is a - This determines if the reward will be given as a percentage or a fixed amount. This option is only applicable when the Reward is: Discount off next purchase
- Currency in which to present the value - The currency the reward will be given.
- Subject (if applicable) - You could have a reward which gives 10% off their subscription or shipping.
- Spend Constraint - If there should be a minimum spend on the reward.
- Tick - Requires manual approval before each reward is issued (if applicable) - This will enforce that each reward needs to be manually approved before the customer can receive it. This option can be automated via an SFTP feed. Please contact your Client Manager for more information.
- Number of days elapsed before reward issued - This determines how many days must pass before the reward can be issued.
- Number of friend referrals required to be rewarded - Is always 1.
- Reward is fulfilled by - There are multiple options for this; the main option will be: Predefined batch of coupon codes (single or multi-use). This means that you are going to provide us with a batch of codes to be distributed to your customers.
Image showing the different reward fulfilment types
If the Reward is fulfilled by is anything other than a Predefined batch of coupon codes (single or multi-use) or a Predefined batch of coupon-links, please contact your Onboarding Project Manager or Client Success Manager.
You will need to update the following to set up a Referee Reward.
- Reward is - There are multiple options for this; this is to determine what type of reward the customer will receive. This does not necessarily have to match the referrer reward.
- Value - The value of the reward which will be given to the customer.
- The Value is a - This determines if the reward will be given as a percentage or a fixed amount. This option is only applicable when the Reward is: Discount off next purchase
- Currency in which to present the value - The currency the reward will be given in.
- Subject (if applicable) - You could have a reward which gives 10% off their subscription or shipping.
- Spend Constraint - If there should be a minimum spend on the reward.
- Reward is fulfilled by - There are multiple options for this; the main option will be: Predefined batch of coupon codes (single or multi-use). This means that the client is going to provide us with the codes they want to distribute to their customers.
- Tick - Reward given only AFTER purchase (normally before) (if applicable) - This option usually applies to rewards being given by utilities (energy or broadband), gyms, finance or insurance businesses, as these rewards are either high value or provided by a 3rd party partner.
- Tick - Requires manual approval before each reward is issued (if applicable) - This will enforce that each reward needs to be manually approved by the client before the customer can receive it.
- Number of days elapsed before reward issued - This determines how many days must pass before the reward can be issued.
Once you have filled in all the required information, you can click save to create the reward. You should then see the rewards page with your newly created reward.
Image showing a successful reward being created
At this point, it is advised to repeat the process to create another reward so you have one for each type of customer. If you created a Referrer reward before, you should now create a Referee one and vice versa.
Uploading your first vouchers:
1. Click on the Add vouchers dropdown on the first of the rewards.
Image showing where to click to add vouchers to the selected reward
2. Click on Upload a new batch from the drop-down.
Image showing where to click to upload your new vouchers
3. You will now need to follow the wizard to upload your first batch of vouchers. In this process, set basic details like:
- Code validity: when the codes begin and end (if applicable).
Code validity doesn't affect active offer durations but specifies how long a code stays valid in our system for distribution. Make sure the code's duration aligns with your program's validity periods for them to work correctly once uploaded. If your CRM system needs an end date, setting validity for at least a year from the upload day is advised, preferably longer. Read more about voucher validity for details here.
- Code usage: choose if the codes are single-use or have multiple uses.
- Case sensitivity: choose if the codes are case sensitive or not.
- File naming: make it descriptive and relevant.
We would recommend the following setup:
- Your codes are valid for at least 1 year from creation
- Your codes are single-use
- Your codes are non-stackable (cannot be combined with other codes or promotions)
- Your codes are redeemable only by existing customers (for referrer vouchers) or by new customers (for referee vouchers).
Image showing voucher validity option when uploading
Ensure settings in Mention Me match your CRM system; changes here won't affect your CRM setup.
3. Review your code settings.
4. Drag and drop a file from your desktop or select a file.
5. The file should have a 'Reward Code' header. You can download a sample CSV to ensure correct formatting. Successful mapping shows a sample from the file.
6. Confirm testing of new codes for correct rewards and validity.
Image showing the voucher upload page
7. Press 'Upload'—a warning appears. Proceed if satisfied, or review before continuing.
Image showing voucher upload warning message
8. The platform shows an upload progress bar, confirming if the upload was successful for all codes.
Image showing a successful voucher upload
9. Choose to complete the upload or add another file.
Here's a quick GIF demonstrating these steps:
GIF demonstrating the voucher upload process
If you are giving your Referrers and Referees different rewards, you will need to repeat the process for the other reward to upload a separate batch of voucher codes for it to use.
But if both the Referrer and Referee are receiving the same reward, you can share the same voucher batch between both rewards. To do that, follow the instructions below:
Sharing your voucher codes between rewards:
This can be done to share voucher batches between any rewards which have the exact same value
1. On the reward to which you would like to add the batch of vouchers, click on the Add vouchers drop-down.
Image showing where to click to add vouchers to the selected reward
2. Then click on the Select from uploaded option from the drop down.
Image showing where to click to Select from your uploaded pool of vouchers
3. This will then open a side drawer, which will contain all the uploaded batches of vouchers which match the settings of this reward. Check the batch of vouchers you would like to add to this Reward.
Image showing a list of existing eligible vouchers
4. Once you have selected the voucher batch/batches you would like added to this reward (and so shared between multiple rewards), you can then click on Assign reward codes to complete the action.
Image showing selected vouchers and how to assign the selected batch
You will then see that your reward will now share the voucher batch.
You will need to repeat this process for any other rewards you would like to use the uploaded batch of vouchers.