Retailers know for a fact how effective loyalty programs are when it comes to marketing. It is a marketing toolkit many have in their arsenal. They do not just inspire customer loyalty. They go the extra mile to increase revenue. To put this into perspective, as many as 84% of consumers maintain that they are more apt to stick with a specific brand that offers a loyalty program. It does not end there. 66% of customers maintain that the ability to earn customer rewards positively changes their spending behavior. So how exactly should a retailer take advantage of loyalty programs? Are there unique loyalty programs that work? Read on to learn more.
Tiers
Set up tiers of rewards for your customers. Make it easy for them to unlock different tiers each time they spend more. To succeed here, make sure the loyalty program runs seamlessly. That is, make it automated through an online system that can recognize your customers by their payment information, phone number and even name. The beauty of such an automated system is that customers will not need punch cards that they have to remember.
Don’t worry about your customers forgetting about your loyalty program as there is a solution to the problem. Simply find a way to remind your customers where they stand and what they can earn each time they spend more. A good strategy in that regard is to launch an email campaign aimed at reminding your customers about your loyalty program. The campaign must consist of personalized email detailing factors like the number of points a customer needs to get their next $5 or $10 off certificate. You can also include deals and discounts the customer is currently eligible. To succeed here, your level of personalization in the email must be top notch.
Freedom To Choose
This is really simple. Allow your customers to choose how they can use their reward points. This applies even where your products are pricey and aimed at the rich. Allow members to quickly and easily rewards points for things like discounts and gift cards. The aim here is to help customers offset a product’s purchase price without devaluing the product. You can also allow loyalty members to redeem points for exclusive things like in store product tutorials or limited edition products.
Mobile Applications
This is also simple. Create a user friendly mobile application to manage loyalty programs. Running the program through an application will make it easy for customers to stay loyal. They won’t need punch cards or sign ins. To the strategy work, make it mandatory for customers to order or pay for goods through the application. This will make it easy for you to centralize customer transactions and in the process, create a goldmine of data on customer behavior and preferences.
User Generated Content
This is exactly where social media comes into the picture. Use your loyalty program as a strategy to boost your social media presence and engagement through user generated content. Make it easy for your customers to earn points for activities like sharing your posts, writing online reviews or coming up with video tutorials. It is a win-win situation. Customers turn into brand advocates and market your brand. On the other hand, you get to enjoy increased sales.