Today’s customers tend to want more than a one-time transaction. In addition to demanding quality products and stellar service, they require a personalized shopping experience that makes them feel special and unique, now and into the future.
Create a loyalty program that attracts, entices, and engages them this Black Friday and beyond. When you do, you can ensure that you will build a strong team of enthusiastic brand ambassadors who stay with you through thick and thin.
Offer holiday perks
People are particularly stressed and scattered during the frenetic holiday season. This makes it even more important to find ways to direct their attention toward your store. Offering particularly appealing rewards just might be the answer.
One of the most valued benefits is free or expedited shipping, especially as the end of the holiday season draws near. Make sure that customers know that this benefit is only being granted to them as loyal members. This demonstrates how valued they are.
Limited-time campaigns like double points days, or triple points multipliers on highlighted products or gift sets can be effective incentives. Another great way to increase excitement and engagement is to offer a different deal each day until the end of the season.
Value-added services like free gift wrapping or product personalization can make a purchase extra special, and help your most prized clients save time.
Use tiered rewards
When you discuss implementing a loyalty program with your merchant account provider, ask them to help you configure it optimally. One of the best strategies involves allowing customers to reach higher membership tiers as they spend more money on purchases.
The holidays provide great opportunities for you to help members ascend to higher membership statuses. Offering early or exclusive access to your biggest holiday sales or most popular products motivates your top customers to act quickly. Whether online or in person, they’re eager to take advantage of these special promotions before they’re gone. It’s also a great way to create urgency and to demonstrate the special regard that you have for these premier clients.
For those who have reached your ultimate spending tier, make their shopping experience unparalleled. Provide memorable VIP instances such as a private preview, an exclusive in-store shopping event for members only, or a high-value custom gift available only to that tier.
Offer a personalized experience
People are never more bombarded with offers than before and during the holidays. Your job is to get beyond the noise by providing a buying experience that flies above the rest.
One of the best ways to increase holiday sales is to invest time in curating customized gift guides. This is easy with the help of your point of sale system’s reporting features. These can quickly gather data about each person’s preferences and buying histories, enabling you to send them highly personalized suggestions and promotions that are sure to pique their interest.
You can also sweeten the pot further with discounts or bonus points specifically on categories they love.
Through it all, don’t lose sight of your goal of personalization. Be sure to acknowledge the customer’s status, including their long history with your brand. Doing so will remind them of your relationship, and incentivize them to make the most of the benefits that they have already earned.
Focus on post-holiday retention
Your relationship with a customer may be just beginning during the holiday season. Keep them coming back with strategies that encompass January and beyond.
When customers earn December points, send reminders and promotions that inspire them to redeem them within the next month. For those who joined your loyalty program during the holidays, send a personalized, high-value welcome offer to drive a January or February purchase.
As always, encourage existing members to refer their social contacts, by bestowing a significant points gift for them as well as the person referred. This will help to drive sales during the slow months after the holidays have passed.
This season can be a busy and stressful time for everyone involved. However, jump-starting a premium loyalty program with perks, tiered rewards, and personalization will ensure that you retain existing customers and attract new ones during this profitable season, and beyond.
North is a leading financial technology company that builds innovative, frictionless end-to-end payment solutions designed to simplify and grow businesses of all sizes. From the front door, to the back office, the developer world, and partnerships that expand the payments landscape, North offers proactive, comprehensive merchant services, in-house processing, and more.
