Referral and affiliate programs get treated like something only bigger companies can run. In practice, a simple version is often within reach for a small team, and it tends to be one of the cheapest acquisition channels available once it's live.
Start with existing customers, not influencers
Before chasing outside affiliates, a simple referral incentive for existing customers, a discount for both sides, usually converts better and costs less to set up than an influencer program.
Make the ask specific
"Refer a friend" performs worse than "Send this to the one friend who'd actually use this." Specificity in the ask consistently outperforms generic sharing prompts.
Track it or it doesn't exist
A referral program without a unique link or code isn't measurable, and what isn't measured usually gets deprioritized within a quarter. Even a simple discount code tied to a customer's name is enough to start.