Everything to Avoid (and Everything to Do): Customer Loyalty Programs

What do hotels, Qantas airlines, and Woolworths all have in common? The answer is a powerful loyalty program that changed the way their customers do business, converting tons of sales their way. Loyalty programs have long sat on the pedestal as one of the best ways to do business, but there’s a striking difference between ones that get the job done and ones that reel your customers in to make sure they don’t let go.

If you’ve been seeking the pathway to a distinctive loyalty program or looking for ways to revamp your current one, this article deep dives into the most common pitfalls in loyalty programs – and what you can do to swerve past those potholes.

1. Not offering value to customers (hint: Your points might not be as valuable as you think!)

A loyalty program works best when it has an uncomplicated strategy paired with an easy way for customers to climb up the ranks. It’s effective to reward loyal customers with a program that’s actually rewarding. Making it virtually impossible for customers to earn or use points is a sure way to have it backfire and lose loyalty instead of gaining it.

When point earning is made difficult and redemption comes strictly guarded with all those T&Cs, it’s simply a matter of time before your customers stop interacting with your program and eventually bring their business elsewhere. Failing to recognise the importance of letting your customers spend their points is another pitfall.

Reminding customers of expiring points and showing possible redemption options is a classic way to encourage your customers to stay with you for the long haul, and doing so will help your program achieve what it was meant to do: attracting and keeping customers.

Being generous is the key to drawing in long-term customers, and works at its best when executed with a scheme that offers high-value rewards. Looking for rewards that will appeal to all your customers equally without seeming overly generic is another commonly faced hurdle. GIFTA’s custom corporate gift cards offer desirable benefits such as access to hundreds of Aussie’s favourite brands (like Endota Spa, Rebel Sport, and Dymocks), and come fully customisable with a personalised message and your company’s own branding.

 

2. Over-the-top launches

We know, you might be thinking “What’s wrong with starting things off with a bang?” While there’s nothing wrong with a grand start to your program, starting off overly ambitious can lead to a downfall if you find yourself unable to keep up the same level of consistency. Imagine launching your rewards program with all the benefits imaginable: this would make it virtually impossible to surprise your customers down the line, and not to mention make it increasingly difficult to maintain. Setting members' expectations high before pulling back the rug on them is never a good look and can end up hurting your image more than helping it.

 

3. Not recognising your most loyal customers

No two customers are the same, but neither are they equal and they shouldn’t be treated as such. Recognise your highest spenders with top tier rewards and you’ll reap the benefits of their appreciation. With GIFTA’s corporate gift cards, you can provide your most loyal clients with a sophisticated gift that boasts eclectic redemption options anywhere from the likes of Lumber Punks (yes, the axe-throwing experience), Hoyts, Myer, Airbnb, and The Iconic.

Upping your rewards program game can also involve indirect methods like implementing an EDM (electronic direct mail) marketing campaign or running a social media giveaway. A popular technique of keeping your customers updated with relevant promotions and events, when executed correctly, EDM and social media can be game changers that pay serious bang for their buck.

To learn more about our gifting ideas, click here! How Different Demographics Prefer To Be Incentivised

Do’s and Don’ts:

• Target your audience
  •  Sign-ups and a loyalty program mean more data for you, but all the data in the world isn’t useful when you don’t analyse it in order to find the right people to target. Make use of the data you have in hand to draw more customers in for you.
• Be straightforward and keep it simple
  • Don’t overcomplicate things with your message and calls to action, keep it easy reading and easy on the eyes with eye-catching infographics and clear information.
• Give it a personal touch
  • GIFTA’s corporate e-gift cards offer the ideal blend of convenience and personalised targeted marketing. With hundreds of brands to choose from and swap cards for seven different categories for when you can’t just pick one brand, our corporate branded gift cards present the perfect gift for any social media giveaway or campaign.

Win customer loyalty with our corporate service gift cards: as easy and effective as it should be.

 

GIFTA’s corporate gift card ideas go beyond the norm; our offerings include some of the best products and services in Aussie neatly packaged in a personalised corporate prepaid card. Scaling and budgeting are made as seamless as it should be with your own dedicated corporate portal that’s a one-stop shop for everything you need to manage, track, and send all your digital gift cards Australia-wide.

Selecting a rewards platform that has the flexibility and versatility to move with your ever-changing budget is the way to go. Offerings such as GIFTA’s electronic gift cards are great examples of rewards that allow seamless scaling at any time.

We have a specialised 24/7 support team ready to help you with any questions when you start gifting with our corporate gift cards Australia-wide. Visit our Corporate Enquiries page and fill out the form to instantly get set up. Love on your customers and watch them love on you right back. We’re the best at gifting, and we know you’ll soon see why.

If you’ve got more questions on how to buy gift cards online with us, we’re happy to help! Click here for more information.