Why Use a Loyalty Program?

WHY DO CUSTOMERS NEVER RETURN?
In order to understand why customers stop shopping at your store, you first have to identify your customers and track their shopping habits. With the Points to Partners program, you are able to do this quickly and immediately. 

Once a customer is determined to have quit shopping at your store, how do you get him or her back?

What if each month the store manager or owner personally called each lost customer and asked why?

• Perhaps the customer has been in the hospital and is now home recovering. If the store offers a freebie (food, gasoline, car wash, etc.) to the customer, would the customer continue to shop after he or she is recovered?
• Or possibly there was a misunderstanding between the customer and a store employee. Could a little personal attention, an apology, or even a small compensation by the manager entice the customer to give the store a second chance?

CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS
Your customer's receipt is a valuable tool. With the Points to Partners Program, you can even relay personal messages to your customers. View the sample receipt below:

MESSAGING FLEXIBILITY
On your customer's receipt, you have complete messaging flexibility.

	On instant wins, the prizes can be any value or item you choose. Winners can be selected based on number of card swipes per location or group of locations, and through random database selection.
	Threshold marketing can be based on any data item captured, such as cumulative number of trips, if multiple locations were shopped at, dollars spent, gallons purchased, time of day, day of week, and specific item purchase performance (with promotion ID).
	Charitable contributions are possible through customer donated points, membership performances or organization group cards.
	The possibilities are endless. We currently have three lines of 40 characters available for customer-specific messaging.

INCREASE TRANSACTIONS
Based on accumulated data, you can raise customer spending or the amount of visits per week. Examples below are based on a Convenience Store scenario:

• Mary Jones averages three trips per week, spending $6, $8 and $7 for a total of $21 per week. Motivate Mary to purchase more per trip by offering double points on every purchase over $10.
• Sue Brown averages 1.5 trips per month, spending $18 per trip. Motivate Sue to make this store her primary shopping location by offering a free 10-gallon fill up when she makes 10 trips spending a maximum of $15 per trip.
• Jane Wilson averages 0.75 trips per week spending $2.50 per trip. Motivate Jane to make this her primary convenience location by offering her $2 off her next visit with a $15 or more purchase.

RECOGNIZE YOUR BEST CUSTOMERS
Recognize your top 20 customers each month and offer them a special reward. Examples:

• Offer your best customers a special perk, such as a free refillable coffee mug or soft drink cup.
• Allow the customer free refills of coffee or soft drinks for the entire month.
• Inform all store employees that anyone using the special mug/cup is to be cheerfully greeted, asked if they can help find anything, and thanked for shopping!

GAMES BOOST SALES
Most stores have participated in some type of game or giveaway over the years with varying degrees of success. Most games require printed game pieces, collector cards or special punches.

Should you decide a game would boost sales or generate additional traffic, it can all be done at very little cost through your card program.

• Random winners can be determined by our server and winners are notified on the issue receipt or by checking their number against a list of winning numbers.
• Random messages or words can be generated. When the customer spells the correct message, they win a prize.
• Prizes can be awarded based on meeting performance goals.

MARKETING TO NON-PROFIT GROUPS
Schools, Churches and Youth Groups (Boy Scouts, Soccer Teams, Little League) are always looking for ways to raise needed money.

Most stores are asked for donations by everyone. Who does the store choose to refuse and possibly alienate? Be proactive and solicit all the above groups to participate in your charity program.

• Offer each group a "family" of cards.
• All points (or a portion of the points) earned go to the head of the "family," or group.
• All charitable contributions are funded by sales that have already occurred.

THE VALUE OF CROSS MARKETING
A primary goal of every card program is to establish reasons for a customer to use the card on every visit. The card must be perceived as valuable to the customer. To achieve this goal, cross marketing is a great tool. 

Other businesses can participate on the same card loyalty program, where the customer earns points at your store and the pharmacy, laundry, their favorite restaurant, movie theaters, or supermarket.

• Customers can be directed to shop at participating locations to receive points.

Or, other businesses can recognize the program participants with a discount or bonus just for showing the card.

• Customers can be told to present the card to receive a free desert at their favorite restaurant or receive discounted movie tickets at the movie theater.