A loyalty program is a strategic initiative designed by businesses to encourage and reward repeat customers, fostering a deeper bond between the brand and its patrons. By offering exclusive perks, discounts, or points for purchases, these programs not only enhance customer retention but also boost overall sales, making them a win-win for both businesses and consumers.
Businesses that follow the loyalty program best practices we’ll outline in this article not only retain their existing customers but also foster deeper, more meaningful relationships with them. They are a testament to the adage that it's not just about making a sale, but about creating a loyal customer.
Follow these loyalty program best practices to see what loyalty marketing can do for your business.
Loyalty programs create a strong bond between the brand and the customer, transforming a simple business-customer relationship into a thriving community of brand advocates.
This sense of belonging and recognition often translates into
A well-structured loyalty program offers customers valuable rewards and unique experiences that go beyond the transactional nature of a purchase. It's about recognizing and appreciating the customer's choice to stick with your brand amidst a sea of alternatives.
PRO TIP: According to a Power Retail survey, 56% of customers say they spend more on a single purchase because of a loyalty program.
Your loyalty program strategy begins way before the actual program launch. Creating an effective loyalty program can be broken down into three steps:
It's a process of identifying your business goals, your most profitable customers, and determining how to bring those two things together.
One of the many benefits of working with Friendbuy is that our team will help walk you through this entire process, providing insights from past experiences along the way.
To begin crafting your customer loyalty program, first identify why you want a loyalty program to begin with. Let's go through the evaluation process that we present to the brands we work with.
The importance of a well-structured loyalty program is underscored by compelling statistics. A staggering 79% of consumers assert that customer loyalty programs make them more likely to continue doing business with brands. It doesn’t just end there: 73% of consumers are more likely to recommend brands that offer good loyalty programs. This not only helps in retaining existing customers but also in acquiring new ones through word-of-mouth referrals.
In fact, companies with leading customer loyalty programs have been found to grow revenue 2.5 times as fast as their competitors. By launching a loyalty program, you're not just rewarding your most loyal customers, but also setting your business on a faster track to growth and success.
Launching a loyalty program is a strategic move that can significantly boost your business's growth and customer retention. Most of that growth comes from your best customers.
Your best customers, those who frequently engage with your brand and contribute to a significant portion of your revenue, are the primary audience for your loyalty program. Understanding their needs and preferences is key to designing a program that offers them additional value… and fuels the loyalty program.
What does this additional value look like?
Perhaps they're seeking exclusive access to new products, special discounts, or more personalized service. The 'why' behind their desire for these benefits can range from feeling recognized and valued to enjoying a more tailored shopping experience.
The key to a successful loyalty program is to provide value to your customers and align it with your business objectives.
Before launching a loyalty program, you’ll need to identify your key business objectives. Are you looking to increase customer retention, boost purchase frequency, or perhaps decrease customer churn?
The objectives you identify will shape the structure, rewards, and benefits of your loyalty program. Your program can serve more than one objective, but it's important to prioritize them based on your business needs and customer behavior.
Let's go through what each of these objectives entails and how a loyalty program can support them:
As a leading provider of software for referral and customer loyalty programs, Friendbuy can help you design a program that meets your objectives and fosters customer loyalty.
Once you have your business objectives outlined, you’ll need to know whether or not the loyalty program is helping you meet those objectives. This involves tracking a few metrics that provide insights into the effectiveness of your program.
One of the key aspects of measuring success in customer loyalty programs is through Loyalty Program Analytics. This involves monitoring and analyzing a variety of metrics that give you a comprehensive understanding of your program's performance.
Friendbuy, with its comprehensive analytics, enables businesses to make data-driven decisions for enhanced campaign performance.
These are the loyalty program key performance indicators (KPIs) we recommend keeping an eye on the following customer data:
Redeeming & Non-Redeeming Member growth:
These metrics provide insights into the growth of members who redeem their rewards versus those who don't. A successful loyalty program encourages growth in both categories, with a particular emphasis on redeeming members.
Enrollment Rate = (Number of new loyalty program sign-ups during a specific period) / (Total number of customers during the same period)
This metric provides data on how many customers are signing up for your loyalty program. A high enrollment rate indicates that customers find the benefits of your program appealing.
Participation Rate = (Number of active loyalty program members during a specific period) / (Total number of loyalty program members during the same period)
This metric gives insights into how easy and appealing it is for customers to join your loyalty program. A high participation rate is indicative of a user-friendly and attractive program.
Redemption Rate = (Number of rewards redeemed during a specific period) / (Total number of rewards issued during the same period)
This metric provides data on how valuable customers find the rewards of your loyalty program and the ease of redemption. A high redemption rate suggests that your rewards are appealing and easily accessible.
Active and Redeemed Member Purchases and Revenue
This metric provides insights into the direct revenue generated through engaged loyalty members. A successful loyalty program will see a significant portion of its revenue coming from active and redeeming members.
Loyalty Member Average Order Value (AOV) = Total revenue from loyalty members during a specific period / Total number of orders placed by loyalty members during the same period
This metric provides insights into the purchasing behavior of redeemers versus non-redeemers. A successful loyalty program ensures a strong AOV for members who redeem their rewards.
Loyalty Average Purchases and Repeat Purchases
This metric allows you to track the purchasing and repeat purchasing behavior of redeemers versus non-redeemers. Redeeming members should ideally have higher average purchases and buy more frequently.
Loyalty Program Investment Return on Investment (ROI) = (Net profit from loyalty program - Investment in loyalty program rewards) / Investment in loyalty program rewards
This metric allows you to measure the profitability of your loyalty program. It compares the investment made in the loyalty program rewards against the revenue generated.
By tracking these metrics, businesses can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their customer loyalty programs and make necessary adjustments to enhance their performance. Remember, the ultimate goal of a successful customer loyalty program is not just to retain customers, but to transform them into brand advocates.
The success of a loyalty program is not just about the number of sign-ups or the points redeemed. It's about the tangible impact it has on your business metrics. A well-implemented loyalty program should contribute positively to your key business objectives as well.
So how do you quantify those objectives? Each objective comes with a pretty straightforward formula. Easy peasy.
These metrics provide a comprehensive view of your customer's behavior, loyalty, and overall engagement with your brand.
Here are the formulas for these business metrics:
Now is where the fun begins, when we start designing the loyalty program. Creating your loyalty program structure comes down to three steps:
Let’s go through those in detail now.
Want to see these principles in action? Take a look at our loyalty program examples.
Choosing the right loyalty program for your business and customers is the first step in fostering customer loyalty and driving repeat purchases. The type of program you choose should align with your business model, customer purchasing behavior, and the values of your customers.
Here are three common types of loyalty programs that have proven successful for our customers:
This is the most common type of loyalty program, where customers earn points with each purchase. These points can then be redeemed for credit towards future purchases or other exclusive perks. This type of program is ideal for brands that encourage frequent purchases.
For instance, MZ Wallace gives customers points for every dollar spent and provides exclusive benefits to rewards members.
In a tier-based program, members earn different program benefits depending on their rank within the program. The higher the member’s rank, the better the rewards they receive. This type of program is ideal for industries such as travel or hospitality, but is also common for ecommerce brands.
OLLY, for example, has a tiered rewards program that offers more points per dollar as you advance through tiers.
This type of program is ideal for businesses that want to connect with customers on a deeper level. According to a report by Bond Brand Loyalty, 63% of respondents agree they are more likely to do business with brands whose purpose aligns with their values.
So instead of directly rewarding the customer, this program convinces them to make repeat purchases from your brand based on charitable donations that genuinely align with your customer’s values.
Nuuly, for instance, gives a cash donation plus discounts for every referral made.
Choosing the right type of loyalty program is about understanding your customers and their values, and aligning these with your business goals. Whether it's a point-based, tier-based, or value-based program, the key is to create a program that resonates with your customers and encourages them to continue doing business with you.
Now that you know what your customers want, it’s time to figure out how to give it to them. You can do this with the loyalty rewards you choose.
Read through our guide to all of the different types of loyalty rewards for a deep dive into the possibilities here.
The most common types of rewards are:
These are all great, but how do you know which is best for your business and customer base?
That’s where the customer feedback comes in. You’ll be able to craft the perfect loyalty rewards because your customers already told you what they want.
Now that you have a general framework for your loyalty program, it’s time to imagine all of the ways it will come to life. From choosing the type of reward to when and where your customers will earn points, you’ll want to explore all of your options.
Let’s go through how to do that in a strategic way here.
One of the most effective ways to determine the best reward offerings and loyalty program experiences is to directly ask your customers. After all, they are the ones who will be participating in the program.
Conducting surveys can provide valuable insights into what your customers value most. Ask them about their preferences, what kind of rewards they would find most appealing, and what kind of experiences would make them feel more connected to your brand.
This feedback can guide your decision-making process and ensure that your loyalty program is tailored to meet your customers' needs and desires.
Your customer experience and support teams are on the front lines, interacting with customers daily. They have a unique perspective on what customers value and can provide invaluable customer insights into potential reward offerings and loyalty program experiences.
Regularly solicit feedback from these teams and consider their suggestions when designing your loyalty program. They may have noticed common themes or requests from customers that could be incorporated into your program.
By understanding their direct customer interactions, you can create a loyalty program that truly reflects your individual customers' wants and needs.
When designing your loyalty program, consider the entire customer journey. Each phase of the journey, from initial awareness to post-purchase, presents opportunities to drive retention, increase purchase frequency, and boost the average order value (AOV).
Think about what would incentivize your customers to return for another purchase. Perhaps it's a discount on their next order, or maybe it's a reward after a certain number of purchases. And to make repeat customers increase the AOV, offer rewards based on order value.
By integrating rewards and experiences into your customer journey, you can create a seamless and engaging experience that supports your original business objectives.
To give you an idea of what this looks like, this is what we see work well with our customers:
Loyalty rewards programs shouldn't just focus on transactional rewards. Consider offering rewards that provide exclusive benefits to your loyal customers. This could include early access to new products, exclusive access to promotions, or invitations to in-store retail events.
MZ Wallace has a tiered rewards program that offers exclusive rewards for each tier, including a “birthday surprise”.
These types of rewards can make your customers feel special and appreciated, which can strengthen their loyalty to your brand. Remember, the goal of a loyalty program is not just to drive sales, but to build a community of loyal customers who feel a strong connection to your brand. By offering rewards beyond transactions, you can foster this sense of community and further build customer loyalty.
Defining customized rules for earning events is how you will stay laser-focused on meeting your business goals with your loyalty rewards program.
These rules are the backbone of your program, guiding how and when your customers earn rewards. It's through these rules that you can ensure your loyalty program is aligned with your business goals and is effectively incentivizing the behaviors that matter most to your business.
Here are some key components to consider:
The goal is to create a loyalty program that not only rewards customers but also aligns with your business objectives. By carefully defining the rules for your earning events, you can create a program that does just that.
Think of your loyalty program as a living, breathing entity that interacts with your customers at various touchpoints. From the moment they land on your website, to the emails they receive, the purchases they make, and even their account page interactions - your loyalty program should be a constant presence, gently nudging them towards greater engagement and loyalty.
It's not just about creating a loyalty program; it's about seamlessly integrating it into the customer lifecycle. This integration is achieved through strategic automation and ongoing promotions that not only encourage participation but also stimulate reward redemption and boost loyalty program revenue.
That’s where Friendbuy’s loyalty program software comes in. We make it easy to hit all of the crucial points along the customer journey seamlessly.
A dedicated loyalty program landing page is a powerful tool to drive program awareness and enrollment. It serves as the central hub for all information related to your loyalty program, making it easy for customers to understand the benefits and how to participate.
A loyalty landing page should include:
To drive awareness and sign-ups at each stage of the customer journey, consider creating automated Email and SMS campaigns. These campaigns can be triggered at various stages, such as welcome, post-purchase, and more. The goal here is to drive new member enrollment and encourage active program participation.
A well-crafted welcome email or SMS should be triggered immediately after they join the program, serving as a warm introduction to the benefits they can now enjoy.
This welcome email should include:
After the initial welcome email, you can include a loyalty program widget inside all future email communications, such as following a purchase or for shipping updates.
In addition to these regular communications, consider sending exclusive loyalty program emails to members in between site-wide promotions or when introducing new product features.
These exclusive campaigns can provide added value to loyalty members and drive sales during slower selling weeks or seasons. For instance, you could offer double or triple points days or a free gift with purchase.
We also encourage brands to send an email to their loyalty program members every time they earn rewards to keep your loyalty program top-of-mind.
Friendbuy integrates with leading email and SMS marketing brands, such as Attentive and Klaviyo, making it easy to automate communications at every step of the customer journey.
Your customer account page is the personal space for your loyalty members. It's where they can log in and view a page tailored to their rewards journey.
Each loyalty member should have access to a personalized rewards page. This page should reflect their individual journey with your brand, showcasing the rewards they've earned, the ones they're close to achieving, and even personalized recommendations based on their preferences.
Here’s how to optimize it:
Your customer account page is more than just a dashboard; it's a tool to engage, inform, and motivate your loyalty members. With these best practices, you can make it a powerful component of your loyalty program.
Friendbuy custom builds your loyalty rewards program with you, including how and where it will be displayed.
One of the most effective ways to drive customer engagement with your loyalty program is to allow members to redeem their points directly at checkout. This practice turns their accumulated points into tangible savings, which not only rewards their loyalty but also encourages further purchases.
However, there's a key requirement for this process: members must be logged in to their account to redeem points. This ensures a seamless and secure transaction, while also providing an opportunity to personalize their shopping experience.
The easier and more rewarding you make the points redemption process, the more likely customers are to engage with your loyalty program and make repeat purchases.
One effective way to drive engagement with your loyalty program is to allow members to redeem points outside of the standard checkout process. This practice encourages members to interact with your program more frequently and in a variety of ways, enhancing their overall experience.
Instead of limiting point redemption to purchase discounts at checkout, consider offering preset rewards that members can claim using their points. These could include exclusive products, early access to sales, or even experiential rewards like virtual classes or events. This strategy adds an element of excitement and exclusivity to your loyalty program, making it more attractive to members.
To redeem points, members should be logged into their accounts. This requirement not only ensures the security of point transactions but also encourages members to visit their account page more often.
This increased interaction can lead to higher engagement levels and provide more opportunities for personalized marketing.
Enhancing the success of your loyalty program is not a one-time task, but rather a continuous journey of assessment and improvement. To continue that journey, we encourage the brands we work with to gather customer feedback after the program's launch.
This approach not only offers you invaluable insights into the customer's experience but also fosters a sense of inclusivity, making your customers feel valued and heard.
Consider conducting a post-launch survey with questions such as:
These questions will help you understand the effectiveness of your marketing channels, the appeal of your perks, the user-friendliness of your program, and the overall customer experience.
It can also provide you with a net promoter score, a crucial metric of customer satisfaction and loyalty.
The ultimate goal of gathering this feedback is to continually enhance your loyalty program, making it more engaging and rewarding for your customers.
With Friendbuy's industry-leading technology and comprehensive analytics, you can seamlessly incorporate these best practices and monitor their influence on your program's performance.
We just went through every recommendation we have for creating an effective loyalty program. From understanding how you want your business to benefit from the customer loyalty program to how you will reward customers, we covered all of our recommended customer loyalty program best practices.
We help multi-million dollar businesses with their loyalty programs everyday. Contact our team to see how we can help you attract customers and keep them with our loyalty program software.