A good loyalty program will offer different services or tools to thank or reward customers, recognize their loyalty and strengthen the emotional relationship with your brand.

Until not long ago, businesses that sought to reward or surprise their customers for whatever reason, could only proceed based on information provided by their own sales assistances and without a real knowledge of customers´ purchasing habits.

Nowadays, by means of technology, it is possible to define and implement rewards digitally managed in both sides, business and customer, and apply them in a simple way and in any business environment no matter how high the number of users is.

Using the powerful of data with a good loyalty platform, it is possible to analyze and identify customer profiles in order to define exclusive benefits adapted to particular user tastes and aligned with the business goals.

Nowadays it is possible to define customized rewards and apply them in a simple way and in any business environment.

Below you will find 12 ways to reward a customer throughout your loyalty program. A good loyalty strategy that makes use of the combination of them in the most suitable way to your customers, will allow you to bring a unique customer experience and differentiate your brand.

1.-Points to use in future purchases

To deliver points related with sales is one of the most common ways to reward. The points are a balance for discounts in future purchases. Use the rules to accumulate and redeem points (minimum purchase, minimum accumulated points for exchange, period, days and hours to exchange) to configure a flexible program adapted to your needs and habits of your users.

2.-Customized Promotions

Define promotions with discounts, free items by volume, progressive customized rebates to each customer profile (segment by age, sex, location, consumption, special dates, etc.) depending on the tastes of the client and your targets. Use the advertising and using deadlines to attract customers to your business at the right moment.

3.-Promotional coupons

Create promotional coupons adapted to specific customer profiles. Provide new shopping experiences in your brand, while increasing your consumption per customer by making attractive packages with your products or services. Use also them to allow your customers to gift friends and family, your customers will have a nice way to surprise others and you will attract new customers to your brand.

4.-Gift card:

Let your customers the possibility to preload a balance in a gift card to reward their and use in your commerce. You will be giving them the possibility to share their experience in your brand while increasing your customer base. Use also the gift card to reward your best customers by activating a balance and surprise them.

A good loyalty program, adapted to the new lifestyle, allows to provide a unique customer experience and differentiate your brand.

5.-Shipping and return facilities

Reward your best customers with facilities such as shipping or free returns when purchasing in your ecommerce. It adds attractiveness to your brand and it will be compensated by an increase in recurrence to your business. You can also offer return extension period of articles for your most loyal customers.

6.-Alterations, personalized services

Clothes tailoring or appliance installation and commissioning are examples of services you can offer for free to certaing groups of customers, depending on your type of business.  It adds a valuable service improving customer experience.

7.-Warranty and post sales extensions.

Extend warranty coverage and/or include after sales support, periodic checkouts or technical service to provide a differentiation to those “premium” customers.

8.-Membership levels.

Use membership tiers in your customer club and offer more benefits according to the loyalty to your brand. Priority access or permanent discounts are an example of benefits you can provide depending on your business. A loyalty program with membership tiers includes two aspects that users subconsciously like and provide good outcomes: a ludic face that encourage users to rise the category and a “exclusivity” feeling when reaching a higher level.

9.-Cross Promotions.

Extend the benefits for your client beyond your business. Set up strategic alliances with another businesses to offer cross rewards and bring more value to your customers.  You will also get access to a larger audience through the users coming from your partners.

10.-Exclusive gifts.

Offer exclusive rewards that customers can´t find anywhere else.  Accessories, complements or special edition products are a very good way to please customers their loyalty and relay your message. A good customer who receives a pleasant surprise becomes an ambassador of our brand and will communicate his satisfaction to more users, it means free advertising for you.

11.-Access to events.

Physical items are not the only one kind of awards, users can also appreciate another type of experiences. Rewarding your customers with free tickets to events can provide unforgettable reminds.  Free subscriptions to a race if you have a sports business or tickets to a fashion event if you are a fashion retail are examples of this kind of rewards that provide your selected group the feeling of a very special treatment.

12.-Priority access.

Offer priority access to promotional sales, sale periods, pop-up events, product test or payment queues in your stores and ecommerce.

We trust this article will help you in defining the benefits more suitable for your customers and apply them within your loyalty program. In coming posts within this blog, we will go in detail with examples for anyone of the 12 ideas suggested. 

Remember that you are not alone. We are here at your disposal for any question about how a loyalty program can help to improve your business.

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José Manuel Maseda

Sales & Marketing Manager

www.wappingweb.com