When you set up a referral program, you need a way to deliver it to your customers in the moment. CardLinks supports three delivery methods: NFC tap, QR code, and shared referral links. Each has tradeoffs depending on your business type, setup, and customer base.

The three delivery methods

📡 NFC tap card

A physical card or stand that customers tap with their phone to open your referral page instantly — the same technology as contactless payments.

Works well for
  • High-touch service businesses (salon, trainer, medspa)
  • When you want to hand something to the customer directly
  • Premium feel — "tap to refer" is memorable
  • Repeated interactions with the same customers
Watch out for
  • Requires hardware (tap card or NFC stand) — small upfront cost
  • Older Android phones may need NFC enabled in settings
  • Doesn't work for remote or online-first businesses
Best for: Salons, personal trainers, medspas, dental, any high-touch in-person service where you can hand the customer a card at checkout.

📷 QR code

A printable or displayable code that customers scan with their phone camera — no app needed. Universally understood and free to deploy.

Works well for
  • Counter displays, receipts, table tents, window stickers
  • Restaurants, retail, any location with a waiting area
  • Getting started quickly with zero hardware cost
  • Reaching customers you can't physically hand something to
Watch out for
  • Lower conversion than NFC (requires customer to initiate)
  • Printed QR codes can't be updated — use a dynamic QR
  • Can get ignored if not placed at the right moment/place
Best for: Restaurants, retail, contractors, any business with a physical location and wait time. Also the best starting point — zero hardware required.

🔗 Shared referral link

A personal URL your customer can copy and share via text, email, WhatsApp, or social media. Best for digital-native customers and post-visit follow-up.

Works well for
  • Post-visit email or SMS follow-up campaigns
  • Online-first or hybrid businesses
  • Customers who want to share with large networks
  • Combining with in-store NFC/QR for a multi-channel approach
Watch out for
  • Requires customer contact info for link delivery
  • Less spontaneous — requires intent to share later
  • Attribution can be muddied if links are publicly shared broadly
Best for: Realtors, coaches, tutors, any service with longer relationships and digital-first communication with clients.

Which should you start with?

For most local businesses, QR is the fastest way to start. Print it, put it at your register or table, and your referral program is live in minutes. Zero hardware cost.

Once you're seeing results, add NFC tap cards for your highest-value interactions — the moments where you want to make an impression and make sharing feel effortless.

Use shared referral links as a follow-up layer: send a personalized link after a great service interaction or include it in post-visit emails.

You can use all three at once

CardLinks tracks the source for every referral — NFC, QR, or link — so you can see which method drives the most conversions at your business. Many CardLinks customers start with QR, add NFC after 30 days, and then fold in link-based follow-up. The attribution data tells you where to invest.

See all three methods in action

Book a 20-minute demo and we'll show you exactly how each works for your business type.

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