Tactics to Keep ‘em Coming Back
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There’s a market for everything; the key is finding how to engage that demand, niche or not. Counterpoint has several tools that can help you tap into those customers or deepen the connection with the ones you’ve already established a relationship with.
“Make a customer, not a sale.”
– Katherine Barchetti
Attaching customer data to sales gives you many options to reward those purchases and also to upsell or cross-sell. For example, if you know a customer bought tomato seeds last month, you can infer they may also need cages, soil, and compost. Just like in restaurants, anticipatory service goes much further with customer engagement than simply providing what someone may be asking for. So, targeting discounts to larger purchasers and consistent shoppers is a tried and true method for creating customer loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing. Early access to email newsletter subscribers, for instance, has a surprisingly high click-through rate. You can also leverage that information to re-engage customers who haven’t shopped in a while with tailored messaging and an incentive to return.
Loyalty programs are going to be the most effective strategy to create a delightful shopping experience that makes your customers feel seen and like they matter. Establishing a more emotional connection to a brand is essential for building a loyal, long-term customer base. Mariner Business Solutions can help customize your POS system to seamlessly integrate loyalty rewards, making the program effortless for your shoppers. No need for them to carry around a punch card or forget to redeem their points, because at checkout, your POS can easily prompt this for your staff.
What Makes a Great Loyalty Program?
Customer loyalty isn’t just about discounts; it’s about relationships. That’s the backbone of Mariner Business Solutions- we understand the value of connecting to real people through business. When it comes to nurturing those relationships, your loyalty program is one of the most powerful tools you have, if structured correctly. A well-structured loyalty program is one of your most powerful tools for nurturing those relationships. Some are confusing, forgettable, or even frustrating. Others are seamless, motivating, and genuinely drive repeat business.
So what separates the good from the bad? And how can your POS system help implement a loyalty program that actually works? Let’s explore five key elements: simplicity, POS integration, personalization, tiered rewards, and thinking beyond purchases.
Simplicity is paramount in people actually getting the value out of your program. Something easy to understand like “Spend $100, Get $5 Off” is much more enticing than accumulating points or having caveats when it comes to sales, etc. Simple, straight forward, and no hidden catch.
Let MBS customize your POS system to integrate your loyalty program. This can mean prompting and empowering your staff with notifications at checkout by automatically tracking customer spending.
Adding a personal touch to your loyalty program reminds your customers that you’re here to serve their needs. People will respond best to offers that reflect their actual shopping habits. Someone who buys seeds regularly might prefer a discount on soil or compost, not random clearance items. Using built-in analytics that come with Counterpoint, you can group customers by specific interests and spending habits. Each of these groups will now be able to receive targeted discounts on things they actually care about and need.
A tiered loyalty structure is an excellent way to simultaneously provide value for your customers and drive sales for your business. Remember, though, keep it as simple as possible. This means with additional purchases, the shopper will be “unlocking” better rewards. Rewards don’t always have to be discounts either; they can be access to exclusive events and workshops, extended warranties, free delivery, or small gifts.
Lastly, let’s think beyond dollars spent in your store. Reward behaviors that strengthen your relationship beyond checkout. For example, signing up for the newsletter, writing reviews, referring friends, or attending events.
The fact of the matter is, there are no shortcuts, plugins, or hacks to achieve solid customer loyalty. You’re building a relationship of trust and that takes time. It also takes consistency, listening, paying attention, and adapting. So, whether you’re selling tomatoes or trinkets, your POS system shines by giving you the information you need to efficiently and effectively build that relationship with your customers. Give us a call today to see how we can help you.
