The average consumer belongs to 14.8 loyalty programs, so it’s important to set your own customer loyalty program apart from the rest. Not only will that help you achieve better results with the program itself, but you’ll also be able to differentiate your brand, keep customers engaged and build a vibrant online community. Simply put, in today’s modern business, it’s critical to set yourself apart from the crowd.
Customers quickly tire of typical programs as they are rarely inspired to make repeat purchases, and this just sours customer relationships. If you want to perform exceptionally well, you must add something new into the mix to build customer loyalty. At Kognitiv, here’s what we have found to work across categories/industries.
Innovate on an Operational Level
Loyalty programs are an extension of your marketing strategy. It should be integrated into your systems and marketing platforms, and be optimized for all technologies your customers use.
That makes it easier to adjust your programs, see valuable data, and deliver experiences quickly to engage customers. Preferably you should unite all your customer loyalty efforts into a single platform so that you can see the whole picture, keep track of the points system, and integrate your brick-and-mortar stores.
Modern consumers are used to using the latest technologies and this plays a key role in customer retention. In fact, they want everything at their fingertips with seamless control, and loyalty program software allows you to do this with ease.
Gather Relevant Data and Use It
Knowing your customers is crucial when creating a new program. Of course, to innovate, you need to be bold and predictive. However, you need to have the right data to make better predictions.
Offer new Experiences and Rewards
Rewards are always a good thing. However, offering more of the same can feel dull and unrewarding. It’s better to provide memorable rewards through multiple interactions.
You don’t always have to give physical products, discounts, or services. Instead, rewarding customers with experiences provides them with something truly special. A good example is the Disney Movie Insiders program, where customers get engaged with the brand in multiple ways and experience something that regular customers can't..
Offer Different Levels of Membership
Yes, customers want to feel special. However, you need to make it official. People like to show others that they are members of a special club. By offering different memberships to your repeat customers and adding different tiers to your loyalty program you can engage customers in a more dynamic way.
It’s essentially a concept from gamification – make loyal customers feel like they are progressing and achieving something through your loyalty program. This encourages customers to measure their success as well as the benefits that they earn along the way.
Look for Something Unique
If you want to be innovative, you have to get creative. This can include clever approaches to naming programs and points and new ways for customers to earn points and rewards. You can make it about them doing something specific, achieving new feats, or tie it to their important dates.
In the end, it’s about making a commitment to innovation and always being willing to test new concepts. At Kognitiv, we are focused on helping our clients meet and exceed performance goals through a variety of tactics and first to market loyalty techniques. We call it “Loyalty Plus”. Standing out in a loyalty crowd isn’t difficult to do. You just need the right partner and the right plan.
