The present invention facilitates and tracks personal referrals made via electronic
networks. In a preferred embodiment, using electronic mail delivered to a participant
interface 110, a central controller 100 provides a Web page through
which an individual may enter the electronic-mail addresses of those whom he or
she wishes to refer. This spares the individual the inconvenience of generating
his or her own electronic-mail referrals, and also enables the central controller
to determine the format and tone of the referral. The address or contents of the
Web page includes a unique identifier that is exclusively associated with that
individual and a specific offer 120. In this way, the series of referrals
may be tracked, duplicate referrals to the same electronic-mail address may be
eliminated, offers may be withdrawn or modified, and referrals about an expired
or withdrawn offer may be prevented.