A loyalty program is a virtual gold mine of information on customer behaviour, preferences, buying habits, and much more. Whether you’re about to launch your program or it’s been up and running for a while, it’s vitally important to make enrollment a priority.
Here are a few simple ways to stimulate acquisition:
1. Reward enrollment
Get people to sign up for your program by offering a welcome gift, whether it’s points, a discount with purchase, or a free product/service. The value of the gift doesn’t matter; it’s the act of being immediately rewarded for their behaviour that will increase your program’s value in customers’ minds
2. Simplify the sign-up process
Signing up for a loyalty program must not feel like filling out an income tax form. Make sure to keep the process simple, and remember you don’t need to collect all the customer’s information up front. In fact, getting only the basic information up front means you will have a good excuse to communicate with members again in future.
3. Promote your program
It stands to reason that if customers don’t know about your loyalty program, they won’t be able to join it. As incredible as it sounds, a great many customers have no idea that many of the places they spend money actually offer loyalty programs. Be sure to make your program highly visible at all points of sale as well as in all communications to customers.
4. Train employees
Your employees are the best ambassadors for your loyalty program. Since they interact with clients on a daily basis, they are in the best position to promote your program and all the benefits it offers. Be sure you train employees about the program’s benefits and how it works, and create a quick reference guide for them to understand the program and speak about it with customers simply and quickly. Read more on employee engagement.
One last tip: Invite program members to refer family and friends. According to a Nielsen survey, 84% of respondents said that word of mouth was the source of information they consider the most reliable. This thinking can also be extended to loyalty programs, which is why many programs include a referral option.
