Personally, I think the best recruiters for SL is definitely the residents. I don't see how LL staff could really do this in any meaningful way. At this point, SL needs more than just fresh bodies. It needs people who are going to be engaged. You can't just recruit somebody, you almost need to be a parent to them. You probably need to invest in them, teach them, make them part of your life, and then be willing to set them free. Otherwise, the majority of people are going to never make it to the fun or acceptance before they're overwhelmed by the financial commitment and the vast amount of assumed skills it requires to just be a typical avatar.
I don't think there should be a reward until your recruit or "child" has met a certain set of goals and has proven they are willing to be a part of all of this. The reward should be big. It doesn't necessarily have to be some huge financial sacrifice on the part of LL, but it should be something that pays off in respect and visibility, some kind of permanent elevation. It's just as important as any other kind of celebrated contributor in this society. SL is going to die if it doesn't evolve with some higher purpose and respect for it's residents beyond being credit card cattle who idolize money makers and narcissists. Years of experience, available time, real life contacts, generosity of spirit, are all lucrative assets that are being ignored because we are only thinking that a small % of our residents are truly valuable. The other reward is that we start focusing on being social again. Money doesn't lead good societies, it follows them.