Emails with Benefits

Have you given any thought to using your email marketing platform for more than newsletters? Have you considered creating a loyalty program?

Why?

A loyalty program allows you to offer frequent customers rewards for their continued support for your business. It makes your customers feel special and appreciated. It helps to build your brand ambassador base and, creates trust and long-term relationships. A loyalty program also promotes customer retention. People are more likely to continue doing business with you if a continued relationship exists.

By using your email marketing platform you can created targeted rewards, which can be used as a part of your continued marketing strategy. Asking customers to join your program is the first step in building trust. When you ask them to sign up to your email list, they are providing personal data in return for benefits.

Are people likely to shop at your business because of a loyalty program? No, but what a loyalty program can do is give you access to valuable data to help target your loyal customers with offers and benefits to boost customer retention. It heightens the purchasing experience by making your customers feel special. When membership has privileges, your customers will have a sense of distinct belonging. This distinction tends to be shared with others. Instead of you inviting customers to join, your VIP customers use word-of-mouth to speak about the benefits of membership.

Examples of valuable data:

• Spot trends in shopping behaviour.
• Cross-sell or up-sell your products or service.
• Create targeted marketing to personalize offers.
• You can inform you audience of product recalls.
• Birthdays/Anniversaries
• Bonus to try new products

How?

First, and foremost, you will have to decide what your loyalty program will look like.

• Will it be exclusive?
• Will it be based on purchasing behaviours?
• Will it be meaningful to the customer?
• Will there be a hierarchy? E.g. bronze, silver, gold?

And the list goes on. Once you have established the goals and parameters of your program, you are ready to begin. 

• Encourage customers to join your email list. This is your first chance to include a benefit. When someone signs up to your list make sure you send a Thank You/Welcome email with a special bonus.
• Gather targeted information (if you can and if people are willing to share). This is easier for small businesses as they know their customers shopping habits.
• Create targeted lists e.g. Sales, Events, Special Offers. The lists can be whatever works for your business.
• Create a calendar and content exclusive to your loyalty program.

If you are still ensure about loyalty programs consider this; “the average Canadian is enrolled in 11.3 loyalty programs, out of which 7.3 are actively used.” (Source: The Statistics Portal)