Alumni converted into individual, trackable referral channels
From scoping to production deployment
Native HubSpot attribution from shared link to closed deal
The problem
Where it started.
iXperience gives their alumni the opportunity to become business developers, its most credible acquisition channel, and was already running a referral program on off-the-shelf software. The problem was that the tools they had never gave them the full power they needed. Generic referral platforms could not write attribution natively back into HubSpot, tracking was done on multiple excel sheets, the CRM running admissions could not be shaped around their exact funnel, programmes, and earnings logic, and left gaps in how reliably a shared link was tied to the alum behind it and the deal it produced.
To run referrals as a real, measurable, scalable channel rather than a bolt-on, they needed a native system built around their business, not a rented one they had to work around.
What we built
The system.
A multi-tier referral portal designed to make each graduate a measurable acquisition channel, with the relevant access and controls by user type.
Unique, centrally managed short codes and shareable referral links for every user — built to be stable, easy to share and privacy-conscious.
A tracking layer that captures referral codes on first visit and preserves them through return visits, browsing and application completion.
Application-form handling that carries the referral identifier into HubSpot, including support for the FormCrafts iframe journey.
Native HubSpot attribution: the referral code is stored on the contact and copied to the resulting deal through a workflow, creating a clear record from referral to outcome.
A configurable earnings engine that applies the relevant reward rule to an attributed deal and makes it visible once the deal reaches the appropriate stage.
A live portal experience with a personal pipeline, earnings ledger, leaderboard and access-controlled assets library.
What changed
The result.
Referral tracking now operates as a native part of iXperience's admissions workflow rather than as a separate tool beside HubSpot. Referred prospects can be identified from a shared link through to the associated deal, giving the team one source of truth for the channel.
The alumni network can now be treated as a measurable, incentivised acquisition channel alongside paid media and other sources. iXperience owns the system outright and can adapt it for new cohorts, markets and referral programmes without being constrained by an off-the-shelf subscription product.
