6 builders who never spoke to each other

Borrow a partner's list with a code worth mentioning

A discount steep enough to be newsworthy turns someone else's audience into your acquisition channel, and the partner gets something to give their readers. Make the offer specific to that list, whether it is a lifetime price against your usual monthly, a large percentage off any plan, or a free window on the paid tier behind a link of their own. Paying the referrer and discounting the referred customer at the same time makes the link worth clicking on both ends. Set the commission per product from its own margin rather than running one rate across everything.

The method

1. 01

   Give a newsletter's readers a one-time deal steep enough to be obviously worth taking, using someone else's audience as the distribution.

2. 02

   Hand a partner newsletter a discount code steep enough to be newsworthy, and let its readers be your acquisition channel.

3. 03

   When a publication features you, hand its readers a free window on the paid tier behind a link of their own.

4. 04

   Give the referred customer a discount as well as paying the referrer, so the affiliate link is worth clicking on both sides.

5. 05

   Put a free month of your paid membership at a low tier of one or two referrals and pair it with something more tempting, because its real job is getting people to sample the paid product.

What it returned

• $99

  Ticker Nerd offered Trends.vc readers lifetime access for $99 against its usual $39.95 a month or $199 a year.

• 75

  Mindreader offered Trends.vc readers 75 percent off any plan with the code CRAZY75.

• 25%

  Fathom pairs its 25% recurring commission with a $10 discount on the new customer's first invoice.

• Ness Labs readers were given a month of Pro features free through a dedicated short link in the interview.

Sources

• Best affiliate programs for indie makersJustin Jackson · justinjackson.ca · Analytics software affiliate programs · undated
• From knowledge-management to knowledge-creation with RemNoteMartin Schneider · nesslabs.com · From knowledge-management to knowledge-creation with the founders of RemNote · 2022-01-20
• 14 Free Newsletter Referral Reward IdeasLouis Nicholls · sparkloop.app · 6 Free Month Membership · undated
• 🐴 Godfather of AI 🕒 3-3-3 Method 🚀 Product Launch ListLuciano Viterale · trends.vc · 🌟 Founder of the Week · 2023-06-06
• 🎯 Scientific Goal Setting 🤝 Negotiation Tips ⚡ Fast Startup Validation - Trends.vcTony Tong · trends.vc · 🌟 Founder of the Week · 2023-10-09
• Strangers made me $30,000 last monthTibo Louis-Lucas · tmaker.io · What we pay · 2026-07-23