Create A Retail Loyalty Program with Text Messages
One of the oldest and most efficient way to retain customers is through loyalty programs. Loyalty programs are a special program of benefits that owners use. This program gives customers a chance to get something from the business if they continue being a part of it. A retail loyalty program is perhaps the most common way to make someone your regular for your retail business.
Text marketing is on the rise and it keeps proving more efficient than any other form of marketing. However, the downside is that promotional texts all the time make the customers annoyed. They might have opted in your list by choice. However, if they only get promotions, they may opt out and you will lose your lead. Hence, to give them value for their time and presence in your list, you can use a retail loyalty program. Here is everything about how you can create one and use it for your business.
What are loyalty programs?
Before we get into the details, the questions stand; What are loyalty programs? Loyalty programs are a way to appreciate your customer for being loyal to your brand. These programs benefit the customers immensely. However, in the bigger picture, you will find it beneficial for the retailers as well.
When a customer signs up for these programs, they usually give out a chunk of information. This information helps retailers evaluate their business against their target audience. You can find out the types of sales, the times, and other details. While anonymous purchases also give enough data, they usually have an open end to them. Since there is no consistency, you will have a hard time tracking the demographics of where your revenue comes from. Hence, loyalty programs help you with ultra-targeted results.
How to create a loyalty program with texting?
One of the best things mass texting is that retailers can use them to manage and create loyalty programs. Traditional methods include making cards like buy eight and get one free. Or, retailers also make electronic cards and collect points to redeem after a limit. The possibilities are endless. However, they are expensive too. Mass texting allows you to manage loyalty programs without spending a fortune. Moreover, if you go a step ahead and use ExpertTexting, you can save yourself from annual and monthly plans that waste credits. Just pay for the messages that go out and manage them in groups.
Here is how you can use mass texting to create and manage a retail loyalty program.
- Find a reason
Before you begin, think of a good reason why your customer would want to be a part of your loyalty program. The best way to find your reason is to first do your customer research. Make sure you know your target audience and their demographics.
Once you have this information, think of the incentive you are willing to give out. This may be a tricky process because you want to balance the profit against the incentive. Some retailers give access to early discounts or a first glimpse of new products or services. The possibilities are endless especially because you can manage it over texting instead of getting cards printed. - Find your voice
One of the most important aspects of marketing is to have your voice. Your voice means the tone and formality level of your business. When you have that in definition, you can then use it to make your loyalty program more efficient. If your voice is informal and playful, then you may find using emojis and GIFs in your messages. However, if you want to keep it formal, you tone should be conversational and should avoid slangs and funky language. It all depends on the kind of business you have and the tone you set to it. - Find a way to benefit yourself
When creating a loyalty program, it should not be about your customer only. While the general idea is to ensure that your customer feels appreciated, you cannot just keep giving. Find a way to ensure that your loyalty program benefits you too. You can ask them for reviews, referrals to bring more people, or something similar. Moreover, you can also give up access inventory items. Anything to ensure that you are not in loss and are benefiting from loyalty programs too.
Get started with your loyalty program
Now that you have a standard idea of how you can create a loyalty program, its time to incorporate it into text messaging. Here is how you can get started.
- Create your list
The best way to begin is to advertise your list. Select a Keyword on your number and put up QR codes all over your store. You can also put your keyword or QR code on the bottom of your receipt. Ask your customers to join in to receive loyalty benefits. With a service like ExpertTexting as people sign up with the keyword, a group will be made. You can simply send messages to this particular keyword only. - Loyalty benefits
You may wonder how and what you can offer to create brand loyalty to your customers. Here are a few benefits that you can create with text messaging.
a. Give special early access to products you may offer
b. Offer discounts on reaching a particular milestone
c. Use receipt numbers to track the number of purchases to give them free gifts
d. Send special offers only for them
e. Special text contests to give a chance to win - Create tiers
Another important thing you can do is to create tiers or levels of your loyalty program. The higher the level, the more benefits you can offer. You can use ExpertTexting to manage your groups accordingly. This feature will allow you to send separate messages to separate levels of loyal customers. - Track memberships
One of the most crucial aspects of loyalty programs is tracking the memberships. Now these can be slightly difficult because customers try to find loopholes. For example, they may share their punch card with their friends to get the free one quicker. Text messaging makes it easier when you use ExpertTexting. You can simply ask your customer to send you their receipt or purchase slip number. With ExpertTexting you can keep record of the incoming messages. Hence, when a customer comes to claim their reward, you will know if they should be getting one. - Deliver
The most important thing out of everything is to ensure that you deliver as per your promise. When creating loyalty programs, retailers usually hide ridiculous clauses in their terms and conditions. These stop the customers from getting their reward. Any terms and conditions you have, ensure that they are transparent and customers know them when they signup to the program. Using cheap tactics like this can really do the opposite of creating loyalty. Ensure delivery of your promise.
You can also use mass texting to send out messages to the customers that are close to getting rewarded. This gives an extra edge and increases reliability.
Begin with ExpertTexting
ExpertTexting is a mass texting service that allows you to manage your retail loyalty program for customer retention. Use ExpertTexting to create and manage groups for your loyalty programs. Moreover, send out exclusive promotions to your subscribers list. All this and more in a pay-as-you-go pricing to ensure that your credits never go to waste.
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