Here’s What the Best Loyalty Programs Have in Common, with President Kurt Whitmer

We all want our loyalty program to be the best, but to be the best, you have to take inspiration from what’s already working. Sit down with our President Kurt Whitmer and learn just what’s worth borrowing from the best loyalty programs of today.

Here’s What the Best Loyalty Programs Have in Common

It’s no secret that loyalty programs work. In fact, American consumers hold 3.8 billion loyalty program memberships and counting. Customer retention is much less expensive than customer acquisition, and a successful loyalty program can create a network of brand ambassadors that take your efforts to the next level.

Certain programs and apps are very well-known and frequently used. If you want your loyalty program to gain more traction, you might want to put your spin on something you know will work. Here are the loyalty program features to snag from the best of the best.

What to Borrow from the Best Loyalty Programs

Variety

Consumers appreciate a range of rewards available to them. To keep things exciting, give them the chance to rack up points, choose rewards to redeem, participate in point multiplier events, and more. A loyalty program that consistently engages customers with fresh offers is often one of the most successful.

Ease of Use

With the sheer amount of loyalty programs out there, it’s safe to say that the best ones are among the easiest to use. Hassle-free enrollment, quick access to account information, and a list of available offers will make your app simple to use and navigate. This will also lessen friction and keep customers coming back.

Unique Access

Ultimately, customers who join your loyalty program are looking to get a little something extra. Maybe it’s early access to new products, friends and family sales, or an exclusive invite to a VIP event. However you choose to engage them, your members should enjoy something that’s not available to everyone else.

Gamification

I appreciate a discount, special offer, or a financial reward as much as the next person, there are other ways to keep customers in your loyalty program. Gamification is a great option to get you there. Whether it’s exclusive giveaways that members can enter or friendly competitions that allow consumers to play for prizes, you’re giving them a chance to engage outside of purchasing behavior.

Integration

It may sound obvious, but you’ll want to make sure that your loyalty program works well with your existing tech stack. This gives you the ability to fully flesh out the customer journey for each member, personalizing their experience. By using your consumers’ data to target them with the right message at the right time, you’ll keep them engaged and set your program up for success.

A Mobile App

According to CodeBroker, 71% of shoppers are more likely to use their loyalty memberships if they can access them from their mobile device. Having a mobile app makes it so that consumers don’t have to worry about forgetting their membership ID. They’ll be able to earn their points and redeem their rewards no matter what.

Innovation

Even the best loyalty programs can use a little tuning up. As time goes on, you may begin to notice hiccups or areas your program can be improved. These updates are opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration, with IT, marketing, digital, and strategy coming together for a common goal. Whether you’re looking to collect more data from consumers or put consumers’ feedback to use, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve.

Final Thoughts

Loyalty programs drive customer retention, and customer retention drives revenue. Building or enhancing your loyalty app around features that are proven to work are sure to set you up for success.