What Makes A SUCCESSFUL Loyalty Program For A Locally Owned Business

While many people come looking for a loyalty program (it’s the “magic solution” that everyone is using these days), it’s hard to compare all the options available and know what will work best for you as an Independent Business Owner.

Loyalty programs are practically dripping off the trees these days, there’s so many options and so many variables.

Before we get into what makes a good one, let’s establish why you might be looking for a loyalty program:

•    You want to increase customer retention.
•    You want to target your marketing more effectively
•    You want an advantage over your competitors
•    You want more repeat business and increased customer spending

These are important outcomes, and whatever you invest in should be evaluated on it’s ability to deliver. As you investigate options here are the important components to consider:

A good loyalty program should be simple and easy to understand for you, your staff and your customers. It should not add unnecessary complexity to daily operations or overwhelm your already busy day. Choose a program that provides what you need, with clear guidelines and benefits, and is comprehensive enough to give you the results you want.

All loyalty programs will require you to sign up members and capture their transactions, that is the key to the success of any program you choose. But an email or text list is simply not enough, you need to be building a comprehensive customer database so you can communicate with your customers by as many methods as possible, and to create an important asset that makes your business more valuable if you decide to sell.

You have enough on you plate, so it’s crucial to choose a loyalty program that doesn’t burden you with additional responsibilities. Once you and your staff are signing up all your customers and capturing their transactions, the rest of the system needs to be automated so that it handles your marketing automatically, tracks customer purchases, issues points and rewards as promised and measures all your marketing.

You want to have access to customer support so that they can make changes, modify offers or create additional revenue generating marketing for you with a simple phone call or email.

Collect relevant data about your customers’ purchase history, spending and important dates, and use this information to provide personalized rewards and offers. Merge the use of their name in all your marketing – customers are more likely to engage with a loyalty program that feels customized to them.

Be able to segment your customers based on the money they spend with you so you can influence top spenders to spend more, and less frequent customers to come more often. You want a process built in that identifies a customer as getting lost and incentivize them to return more often. At Royalty Rewards® we call this the Profit Pyramid; our marketing campaigns focus on moving people up the pyramid.

Points and rewards are not enough to motivate people. Building an emotional connection with customers through frequent communication is crucial for long-term loyalty. This can be achieved by having the ability to offer personalized experiences, remembering important dates or preferences, and demonstrating genuine care and appreciation for customers.

Your program needs to have the flexibility to offers rewards that provide immediate value and resonate with your target audience. You may have narrow margins or a limited marketing budget, so consider cost-effective rewards such as dollars off, exclusive access to new products/services, or a free gift. Focus on rewards that customers genuinely value and that encourage repeat business. 

People are often motivated by a sense of exclusivity and status – tap into this by offering exclusive benefits or access to certain tiers or levels based on a customer’s loyalty. Providing VIP treatment, early access to new products or services, or invitation-only events can make customers feel valued and special, encouraging repeat visits.

Incorporate occasional surprise rewards or gifts for loyal customers to show appreciation. This element of delight adds excitement and reinforces the positive feelings associated with the loyalty program and the overall customer experience.

No one wants to carry yet another loyalty card in their wallet! Having a mobile-friendly loyalty program can boost customer engagement and ease of use. An app allows customers to sign themselves up, easily track their progress, receive notifications and communication, and redeem rewards. This approach also simplifies management and increases the accuracy of your program results.

As with any new system, it’s crucial to train and educate your staff about its features, benefits and implementation. Your chosen loyalty program should provide you with the necessary tools and resources to effectively train your staff and monitor their progress. Engaged and informed employees will play a significant role in encouraging customer participation and loyalty. It should also provide material to promote the program to customers so that they are excited to join.

In addition to points and rewards, your program should be focused on building a relationship. You want to keep customers informed about their progress, rewards, and upcoming promotions through regular communication channels. Without communicating with them, your customers could simply forget about you or be lured by a competitor.

Your loyalty program should be able to send automated emails, direct mail, text and App notifications to remind your customers of their loyalty status, provide personalized offers, or notify them about special events or limited time offers. Using all the media formats available increases your results because there is no one solution that everyone responds to.  Regular communication keeps customers engaged and encourages them to visit your business more frequently.
All these components add up to MORE than a loyalty program, what you need to get the results you want is a comprehensive marketing solution.  All these tools, and more, are included when you take advantage of a 90 Day Free Trial of Royalty Rewards®.  Our program was designed specifically for independently owned businesses who want the results of a powerful, customized marketing and a loyalty program, without the enormous costs of creating one for yourself.

Our multimedia marketing is automated for regular communication with your customers, and all you need to do is sign people up and capture their transactions. We make that easy by providing everything you will need: signage, a customized app, staff training and all the equipment you need for integration. Plus, you’ll have what no other program offers, a personal Coach who will join your marketing team and take care of managing and monitoring your program for you – you only need to give them direction.

Not only will Royalty Rewards® increase your customer retention, grow your sales and profits and give you measurable results on all of your marketing, it will increase your positive online reviews and get you new customers.  You will not find a more comprehensive program that generates results. Book a call and get a 90 Day Free Trial of Royalty Rewards® (valued at $5,103!).

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