Gather

Overview

Gather is a customer acquisition and retention platform that automates referral programs for businesses, with specific functionality designed for newsletter creators and publishers. The platform enables businesses to activate customers as advocates through automated referral programs, personalization, and collaboration features . For newsletter creators, Gather provides the infrastructure to turn existing subscribers into active promoters who refer friends and contacts in exchange for rewards, creating a viral growth loop that reduces dependence on paid advertising.

Gather offers four different types of lead generation referral programs based on how creators reward subscribers and their referred contacts, including programs that reward both parties equally, reward them differently, or reward only the newly referred subscribers . The platform integrates with major email service providers including Mailchimp and synchronizes new referrals automatically, eliminating manual data management. Newsletter creators can customize reward structures using milestone systems where subscribers unlock different benefits as they successfully refer more people to the newsletter.

What distinguishes Gather from simpler referral tools is its focus on automation and personalization throughout the subscriber journey. The platform delivers call-to-action messaging to subscribers in a personalized way during their journey through the funnel, targeting referred customers with the right messaging at the right time to dramatically increase the probability of completing desired actions . This sophisticated approach goes beyond basic referral tracking to optimize conversion rates for referred subscribers, ensuring that the growth generated through referrals translates into engaged, long-term readers rather than passive signups.

Best For

Gather works best for established newsletter creators who have an engaged subscriber base and want to accelerate growth through word-of-mouth marketing. The platform is particularly valuable for creators who have exhausted organic growth channels and want a cost-effective alternative to paid advertising, as referral programs typically deliver lower customer acquisition costs than traditional marketing channels. It suits newsletter creators with both free and paid subscriptions who can offer meaningful rewards to incentivize referrals, whether those rewards are exclusive content, discounts, early access, or other benefits that resonate with their audience. Gather is also ideal for publishers running paywalled content or membership programs who want to activate their most engaged readers' communities to drive sustainable growth. Newsletter creators who prefer automated, scalable systems over manual referral tracking will appreciate the platform's integration capabilities and hands-off operation once configured.

Key Features

• Multiple Referral Campaign Types: Gather provides four distinct lead generation referral program models including campaigns that reward both the referring subscriber and their friend equally, reward them differently, reward only the newly referred contact, or run competition-based programs where creators randomly select winners . This flexibility allows newsletter creators to design referral incentives that align with their budget constraints and subscriber motivations, whether offering digital rewards, content access, or entry into prize drawings.

• Seamless Email Platform Integration: The platform integrates with Mailchimp and other email service providers to automatically synchronize new referrals without manual CSV uploads or data entry . Newsletter creators receive referred signups directly into their email system, maintaining a clean subscriber list while Gather tracks referral attribution in the background. The integration means creators only need to set up their referral program once, after which everything runs automatically without ongoing technical maintenance.

• Automated Reward Distribution and Fraud Prevention: Gather provides options for automatic reward fulfillment or manual approval of referrals, with built-in fraud detection that flags self-referrals and suspicious activity . Newsletter creators can upload reward codes in CSV format that Gather distributes to subscribers and their referred contacts when milestones are reached. The platform handles the logistics of tracking progress, notifying subscribers when they earn rewards, and delivering digital incentives without creator intervention.

• Flexible Referral Touchpoints and Social Sharing: Creators can promote referral programs through multiple touchpoints including banners in weekly newsletters, dedicated referral emails, post-signup popups, or special campaigns sent to existing subscribers . Subscribers can refer friends through email invitations or social media sharing depending on the modes creators enable. The platform provides unique referral links for each subscriber and tracks which distribution channels drive the most successful referrals, helping creators optimize their promotion strategy.

Pricing

Gather offers paid plans starting at $350 per month, with pricing varying depending on business size and growth stage . The platform is positioned for mid-market and enterprise businesses that want robust referral programs delivering measurable results. Newsletter creators interested in Gather should contact the company for a custom quote based on their subscriber count, expected referral volume, and specific feature requirements. The pricing reflects Gather's focus on established publications with significant audiences rather than creators just launching their first referral program. The company offers live demos and free performance appraisals for the peer-to-peer advertising channel to help creators evaluate potential return on investment before committing .