Digital loyalty programs

Loyalty program is needed where repeat purchase gives profit: salons, cafes, barbershops, shops, services, delivery, subscription services. Attracting a new customer is many times more expensive than returning someone who has already bought.

A digital loyalty program does this systematically: the customer sees his bonuses, receives personal offers and has a reason to come back to you. We build it without plastic cards: a digital card in the phone, QR or phone number as an identifier.

The main thing is not mechanics, but discipline. The program works when the administrator accrues bonuses to each client, not "whenever he remembers", and when messages are sent on a schedule, not once a quarter.

Mechanics that actually work

Bonus points with a percentage of return, levels based on the amount of purchases, cashback with a limited validity period, personalized offers based on purchase history, referral bonuses for referring a friend, reminders to visit again at a typical interval.

The main rule: mechanics should be understandable in one sentence. Complex systems with coefficients and exceptions do not work, because the client does not keep them in his head, and the administrator cannot explain it at the checkout in ten seconds.

• Digital card without plastic.
• Bonuses, levels, cashback, personal offers.
• Segmentation of the base: who has not come for a long time, who buys often.
• Automatic messages and reminders.
• Referral mechanics for referred friends.

What the client sees and what the business sees

The client — his balance, level, history, current offers and reminders. Business — customer base with purchase frequency and amount, segments, performance of promotions, and program impact on average check and return.

Without the second part, the program turns into an expense: discounts are given, but there is no measurement, and after a year no one can say whether it paid off.

How not to lose money on discounts

The most common mistake is to give bonuses to everyone equally. Those who already buy every week do not need a discount; it is needed by those who disappeared for three months.

That's why we build segments and prescribe to whom and when to send an offer, as well as limit the period of validity of bonuses so that they stimulate action, and not hang on a commitment for years.

Communication without spam

Mailing every three days kills the base faster than not having it. We set the frequency and reason: a reminder before a typical visit interval, a birthday offer, a return after a break, information about a new destination.

Each message must be useful to this customer, otherwise he will not read the next one.

Integration

The program can work independently or connect to your cash register, record system, CRM or online store. If the account is already maintained, we take the data from there so that the administrator does not enter the purchase twice.

Double manual input is the main reason why loyalty programs quietly die two months after launch.

Where to start

From simple mechanics and one hypothesis: for example, 5% cashback with a validity period of 60 days and a reminder on the 45th day. We launch it, look at the return and the average check, adjust it.

It is more honest and cheaper than immediately building a system of levels, which later cannot be explained to anyone, neither customers nor own administrators.