BY Rachel Cagle
Nothing inspires sales quite like deals, discounts, coupons, etc. And what better way to offer those incentives than by having customers earn them with their purchases? Loyalty programs are the ultimate way for brands to expand their local reach.
Marketers Expand Local Reach with Loyalty Programs
It’s not just small and medium-sized businesses that benefit from local reach. There are still several types of businesses that benefit greatly from and rely on consumers stopping by their physical stores. For example, apparel shoppers who like to try on items before making a purchase.
A recent study from ebbo shows just how effective loyalty programs are to local reach. Here’s what they found.
Loyalty Programs Increase Brand Awareness
According to ebbo, a well-structured loyalty program offers the brand benefits such as:
- Increased sales: 84% of apparel loyalty members agree that they feel more inclined to shop with brands that offer fun/rewarding loyalty programs
- Keeping the brand top-of-mind to consumers: 80% of program members agree that they think about the brand more often once they’ve joined
- Bigger sales: 78% say they spend more once they’re part of a loyalty program
- More shopping trips: 78% say they shop more times per year with brands with loyalty programs they love
- More frequent engagement: 77% say they engage more with brands with loyalty programs they’re a part of
Not only do loyalty programs inspire more people from local communities to shop at a brand’s retail locations more often. Consumers’ engagement with the brand can also be publicized. Consider when consumers comment on a brand’s post on social media. That comment often pops up on the feed of their friends list. Plus, consumers are more likely to share social posts with and recommend brands they love to friends and family.
Recommendations from people they know and trust goes a long way in influencing consumers to give new brands a chance. See now how they expand local reach in a big way?
Creating the Best Loyalty Program
Do you want your client’s loyalty program to expand their local reach as far as possible? If so, you have to give the people what they want. According to ebbo, consumers are looking for loyalty programs that offer:
- Free shipping: 83% of consumers say this is an important program benefit
- Free return shipping: 68%
- Instant discounts: 61%
- Extending returns policy: 42%
- Birthday/anniversary sale days: 41%
- Members-only coupons: 41%
- Surprise events, bonuses and benefits: 37%
- Early/extended access to new products and sales events: 36%
- Members-only sale days: 30%
Loyalty program members are also willing to participate in activities to earn rewards, such as:
- Answering surveys and polls: 60%
- Leaving ratings and reviews: 34%
- Referring the brand to others: 31%
These activities offer opportunities for brands to increase their local reach to potential customers. Their referrals will bring in their friends and family. Your client posting their ratings, reviews, polls and surveys can influence people they don’t know, as well.
For more information on what Loyalty Card/App Users want, look up their profile on AudienceSCAN on AdMall by SalesFuel.
Obstacles to Overcome
Of course, there are people who don’t like signing up for loyalty programs, but their reasons are easy to overcome.
Ebbo says they’re primary adherence is how time and effort-consuming the sign up process is. The second most popular roadblock is that people don’t want to share their personal information. Overcome both of these by only asking for essential information during the sign-up process. Ask questions that include their name and email address.
There are also many consumers who don’t know that their favorite brands offer, or lack, loyalty programs. Making and promoting desirable programs solve both these problems.
With all this information at your disposal, it will be simple to come up with a highly engaging loyalty program. This program can easily increase your client’s local reach.
Photo by: Boxed Water Is Better