The Six C’s of Loyalty Program Marketing

With so many decisions to be made on a moment-to-moment basis, running an effective loyalty program is a challenging task. To succeed, each solution needs to be customized to fit your brand’s objectives and meet customers’ needs — a task that can only be accomplished through careful planning and thoughtful tactics. For loyalty marketers searching for a way to stay ahead of the competition and keep shoppers happy, the Six Cs of Loyalty are a great way to streamline how you’re thinking about each communication, offer or benefit. Here’s a look at each.

Convenience: Loyalty programs need to create true convenience for members, which means that a seamless process for enrollment, transacting and redeeming rewards is essential. You should also be prioritizing your mobile experience to drive engagement. When you’re selecting the right solution for your business, look for platforms that have integrated mobile app interfaces.

Comfort: Think of comfort as trust. You need to trust that your loyalty platform and its capabilities can be scaled and evolve alongside your brand needs. By prioritizing easy communication and establishing positive customer service and consumer-friendly program rules, you are building trust for the program and the brand. A loyalty platform must also help you deliver experiences to your loyalty program members that foster trust with your brand and engender loyalty. If you can establish a level of trust with your members, their participation in your program will continue to grow.

Cost: Loyalty program members are savvy consumers who are consistently looking for value. When members receive a positive return on their spend with minimal participation costs, they’re more inclined to develop lifelong loyalty to your brand. Loyalty can also be fostered through intangible “cost” benefits, like offering to donate 20 percent of specific sales to a shopper’s charity of choice.

Choice: Integrating a technology solution into your program that fulfills different types of reward opportunities is important. As the shift from transactional to experiential rewards continues, look for platforms that accommodate on the execution component, especially with regards to mobile. Look to market-leading brands like Dunkin’ Donuts for inspiration. Their DD Perks loyalty program regularly surprises and delights members with extra treats and goodies just for being them.

Communication: Loyalty program members want relevant and personalized communications that meet their needs, and the line of communication between your brand and your customers should be a two-way street. Start with the basics — welcoming members to the program, communicating rewards and the opportunity to achieve the next status. Communications shouldn’t be strictly transactional in nature; relate to members and strive to make that emotional connection. Look for a loyalty platform that can help you activate customer insights like purchase history, online behavior and social actions to create more compelling and personalized communications for members.

Community: Enabling loyalty members to share your program’s benefits with their personal networks is important. Create community within your loyalty program by giving members an opportunity to share learnings, reviews and recommendations. This helps to connect members and potential members.

Brand loyalty is one of the most significant drivers for growth and profitability in the world of retail, which means it’s incredibly important to find a way to foster it within your customer base. If you start focusing on and planning for the Six Cs, you’re already ahead of the competition.

Source: The Six C’s of Loyalty Program Marketing