Nibletz Staff
It’s time to touch base with the people who have been with you all this way. Instead of casting your eyes ahead specifically at those you want to turn into customers, take the time to look back. Abandon your existing customers and they’ll abandon you. One of the easiest ways to make sure they keep loving you is to incentivize it. A loyalty program creates returning value for returning customers, but that’s not all it does. It should be no surprise, but a loyalty program isn’t entirely altruistic.
Add the personal touch
You have to get the rewards system right if you want it to have any emotional attachment. First, you can use the submission of customer data, like their name and address, to send them a handwritten thank you note. If they’re willing to accept them, then use it to send them exclusive deals, too. Make sure the loyalty system has real, intrinsic value. If you can personalize what exactly those rewards are, then consider matching it to their previous purchases. Ecommerce businesses already do this to find recommendations for their customers. If you do it to offer them a deal or even a freebie, it shows your customer that you know them even as an individual.
Branding they can carry in their pocket
There’s a good reason that a lot of businesses will use plastic cards as the main tool of their loyalty system. Not only does it make it easier to implement with the right scanning tech and operating system. Not only is it a lot more convenient for the customer. It’s also a hugely effective way to make your branding more visible. Every time they open their wallet or their purse, they’ll get reminded of your brand. If it’s left out in the open, others will see it too. It also creates a significance for the brand, too, creating positive social proof that people are using it and that it’s providing value through the loyalty system.
Extra word of mouth
Your loyalty program can also be used to reward more than just repeat visits to your business. Consider offering promotional events where members can get rewards based on socializing. You can get extra word-of-mouth by getting them to use a specific hashtag on Twitter, for instance. Or you can make it more fun and engaging for the members themselves. For instance, you can run an event where members will get a certain free item if they post a photo that matches the aims of the campaign. You can even pair your loyalty system with cause marketing. You can reward those who spread the word on a campaign that you’ve paired with a non-profit or charity for the purposes of cause visibility.
Loyalty programs and more involved customer service are tools that can be used to create more than a customer base. They can create something akin to a cult around your business, a fanbase that has even more reason to stay invested. So, make sure you stay invested in them, too.
