http://marketingsource.com/articles/ Articles at marketingsource.com Articles Library en-us http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/offering-the-best-loyalty-program-for-your-customer.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/offering-the-best-loyalty-program-for-your-customer.html Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:43:01 -0500
To start your loyalty program the right way, it is better to have a database of your customers’ basic information, such as name, address, contact numbers, etc. This can help in narrowing down possible ideas for offers, based on the number of visits and the nature of business they conduct with your establishment. You can also offer a form of artificial advance proposal, such as giving the customers two additional products for a purchase of five. This idea will motivate them to buy five and get seven, which is a good deal for both parties involved.

When implementing a loyalty program for your company, it is best that you provide physical proof of your customer’s membership. Your business can invest on a membership card that must have proper parameters for identification, such as a bar code or a serial number. This can also help customers remember your business every time they open their wallets.

When everything is in place, businesses can entice their loyal customers by letting them know exactly what’s in store for them. A rewards loyalty program that specifies their offer in detail is given more attention over those that do not disclose their particular offers. In relation to this, your loyalty program rewards should be easily redeemable. Do not offer something that requires too much time and effort on the customer’s behalf.

Loyalty rewards programs that offer soft rewards can take a different approach to catch the interest of their customers. For example, those with 100 points accumulated can make use of the express lane, and those with 500 points can extend their shopping hours for another hour.

You should also take note of your customers’ form of motivation. A Loyalty rewards programs must target the reasons why they do business with your company in the first place. If they find that the program makes it more convenient for them to work with your establishment, then they wouldn’t have second thoughts about signing up for the rewards arrangement. If you find everything is working out fine, it’s time to take it to the next level. You can formulate follow-up campaigns such as email surveys and special mail offers to get more members. ]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/loyalty-rewards-for-the-restaurant-industry.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/loyalty-rewards-for-the-restaurant-industry.html Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:42:34 -0500
Unlike other loyalty programs that offer discounted prices, restaurant loyalty programs are more focused on the quality of food experience customers can get for their money. By offering good food for less, restaurants would definitely get a great number of repeat customers. Since the target market for restaurants is smaller than that of airlines, for example, offering loyalty programs can make restaurant goers feel special. Being part of a privileged few might be enough to get a customer through the restaurant door many times over.

Restaurants that are only at the beginning stages of their loyalty programs should consider great introductory strategies for the reward arrangements. Perhaps it can be initially incorporated into a food establishment’s delivery services as a test run. Should it meet success in that front, then the program can be applied across the restaurant’s service board. In all loyalty offers, however, it must always be remembered that the quality of the food is of utmost importance.

The people eligible for a restaurant’s loyalty rewards should be offered a variety of tasty, savory, and satisfying treats that are hard to forget. Besides making the food delicious, restaurants should always offer something new and different. It would be better to offer varying rewards depending on the season or celebration, if there is any.

As with all customers included in a loyalty rewards program, the closer they are to their goal, the more they can be expected to dine in the restaurant. It is recommended for restaurant managers to make do without rewards that are impossible to obtain, such as giving a free meal after one hundred times of dining.

When it comes to maintaining a successful loyalty rewards program, it is best that restaurants provide concrete evidence of their customer’s progress when it comes to their accumulated points. ]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/the-truth-about-supermarket-loyalty-programs.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/the-truth-about-supermarket-loyalty-programs.html Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:40:32 -0500
However, most people might not agree with the advantages that supermarket loyalty programs give to their customers. First off, prior to becoming a member, they should supply personal information upon registration. This is normal protocol for all registration processes, but others think that this is a violation of their privacy.

If a person is a registered member of the supermarket’s loyalty program, his information is entered into the supermarket’s database. Every purchase made, every specific brand and product chosen would all be recorded in the account. Together with buying preference, the frequency of visits to the supermarket is also keyed into the database.

In this case, the supermarket loyalty reward program entails the collection of specific information pertaining to the purchasing habits of its members. This can be considered as vital information to the supermarket’s business partners, brokers, and telemarketers, and can be fished from the database without one’s knowledge. This risk is perhaps the greatest one that potential members should be wary of.

In addition, the detailed shopping information can be used to adjust product prices, all according to the data gathered from the members of the supermarket’s loyalty reward program. With this in mind, people can say that those supermarkets with reward programs are somewhat invading their privacy.

Shoppers must be cautious when offered with loyalty reward programs such as this. They should know all the terms and conditions of the deal before signing up for the service. There might be limitations to the program that the supermarket agent might be withholding, so it is best to read through the fine print prior to making any decisions. If they are not regular customers of that particular institution, it is better to just let the deal slide because they won’t be able to access the benefits of the program anyway. ]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/common-questions-on-consumer-rewards-programs.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/common-questions-on-consumer-rewards-programs.html Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:40:02 -0500
If your business is looking to retain more clients, it’s useful to look into offering rewards programs to loyal clients. Such programs can give your business an instant boost of popularity, especially when word of mouth goes around. If you wish to know more about this system, here’s some information that can help you.

Why should my business have a loyalty program?

Providing clients with a loyalty program enhances your chances of enjoying repeat business. Once clients are able to buy two or three times and consider the program’s benefits, it’s likely that they’re going to stick around to enjoy the rewards. By offering a rewards program, you can gradually convert first-time customers into loyal clientele, if everything goes well.

How do I set up the rewards program?

Setting up customer reward programs involves studying your customers and their spending habits. You also need to check possible suppliers for software that you can use in storing your clients’ data. Once you get these in place, your business has to set up the mechanics regarding the system or rules for rebates you’ll be implementing.

How will my clients know about the program?

It’s up to you and your marketing team to decide on this matter. You can introduce the customer loyalty program via several media such as flyers, brochures, or print ads. You can also use your company’s website to announce the program’s launch.

Is there a downside to the program I should know about?

The best part about having customer reward programs is that there’s virtually no downside to implementing the programs. Sure, you have to think about maintaining client data, rewards support, and re-launching the program after awhile, but these are not really disadvantages. The program is beneficial for you and your customers; while you enjoy stable business from your clients, your clients get rewards for their continued patronage of your business. ]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/issues-on-consumer-rewards-programs.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/issues-on-consumer-rewards-programs.html Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:39:38 -0500
Customer loyalty programs provide rewards for long-time clients through different incentives such as free products and services. In recent years, the said program has come under fire because of several allegations. If you’re planning to apply for the said program, here are some pointers worth noting.

It promotes monopoly

While the reward system might lead people to limit their purchases to certain establishments only, it doesn’t promote monopoly since the consumer still has purchasing power. Businesses promoting the reward program cannot prevent consumers from buying from their competitors because this is against the law. In truth, the program is more of a guarantee for business owners that the consumer would at least consider making repeat purchases from their establishment.

The rewards are unattainable

A consumer rewards program has mechanics in place to help you get the reward you want. The rewards are only unattainable if consumers don’t make major purchases in the establishments that offer the rewards. If it’s really impossible to get the rewards, businesses offering the program may face lawsuits and other legal consequences.

It misleads people

Many businesses offering a consumer rewards program present a complete lineup of what consumers get when they make purchases from participating establishments. These businesses do this so clients know what they have to do to get the rewards they want. The problem is that many clients assume they can get more even if they buy less. This leads many buyers to become disillusioned with the programs. The functional philosophy behind consumer loyalty programs is that the more you buy, the more you get.

Businesses sell your identity

While many establishments adhere to privacy laws, there are some businesses that don’t follow these regulations. This is unfair to businesses who strive to protect the privacy of their loyal customers. The best way to protect yourself is to determine if the customer loyalty program provides a clause for the protection of the consumer’s privacy. ]]> http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/tips-on-getting-customer-loyalty-programs.html http://marketingsource.com/articles/marketing/tips-on-getting-customer-loyalty-programs.html Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:39:04 -0500
Consumer loyalty programs are marketing schemes promoted by different establishments so that clients utilize certain products and services as often as possible. These programs guarantee stores and companies more income as loyalty programs bring them more repeat business. Loyalty programs also give consumers the chance to enjoy bonuses or perks, such as a free trip or an appliance when they accumulate enough purchases from a certain store or establishment.

Applying for a consumer program is relatively easy because most establishments hand out application forms in their shops. The trickier part is in choosing which programs you should be getting into as there are hundreds of programs out there. For this reason, here are some tips to keep in mind.

Check your purchases

Consumer loyalty programs require you to garner as much points as possible from participating stores. Looking at your current buys helps determine which stores you regularly visit and which ones you buy from only occasionally. Take note of what you buy from these stores, too, because this information is vital in your decision. Some consumers may think they buy essential products from certain stores, but, in reality, they probably purchase only trinkets and other non-essential items.

Do your research

Different companies have different rules for their respective Consumer loyalty programs . Some companies award a $1 rebate for every $100 purchase, while others offer a point for every $100 purchase. Doing research helps because it allows you to determine the system that suits your buying style best and provides you with more advantages.

Decide whether to subscribe to few or multiple loyalty programs

Although consumer loyalty shouldn’t be limited to getting onto one program only, it’s still best to consider how many programs you’ll enter. On the one hand, entering fewer loyalty programs enhances your chances of reaping bigger rewards from the system because you concentrate on buying from fewer stores. On the other hand, getting into more loyalty program widens your choices and increases your chances to get more rewards from more stores. ]]>