Patent ID: 8781866

Claim:
A method for creating an electronic referral system with a cloud communications network, comprising: receiving securely a first message including a first unique referral identifier tracking code from a first application on a first target network device with one or more processors from a social media site to create a first electronic referral on a cloud referral application on a cloud server network device with one or more processors via a cloud communications network comprising: one or more public communication networks, and one or more private, one or more community networks and one or more hybrid networks, wherein the cloud communications network includes a cloud referral service for the cloud referral application, a cloud computing platform for the cloud referral service and a cloud computing infrastructure for the cloud referral service and wherein the first unique referral identifier includes a first referral number for the social media site; storing the first unique referral identifier tracking code on the cloud referral application on the cloud server network device in an electronic entry associated with the first target network device; receiving securely a second message including a second unique referral identifier tracking code from the first application on the first target network device from the social media site to create a second electronic referral on the cloud referral application via the cloud communications network; storing the second unique referral identifier tracking code on the cloud referral application in the electronic entry associated with the first target network device, thereby allowing the first target network device to send a plurality of different electronic referrals from the social media site; and generating securely and automatically on the cloud referral application with one or more stored unique referral codes associated with the first target network device an: appointment at a provider of professional services and automatically recording a professional services referral discount for a fee charged by the provider of the professional services and automatically recording a professional services referral credit for the first target network device at provider of the professional services from the cloud referral application or generating automatically a referral for a reservation, coupon, or actual purchase of goods or services at a provider of the reservation, coupon, goods or services and automatically record a reservation, coupon, goods or services referral discount for a fee charged by the provider of the reservation, coupon goods or services and automatically record a reservation, coupon, goods or services referral credit for the first target network device at provider of the reservation, coupon goods or services from the cloud referral application via the cloud communications network.