The Do’s and Don’ts of Convenience Store Loyalty Programs

Boosting profitability and attracting consumers to raise sales are of course the same reasons why convenience stores provide loyalty programs, but not all rewards programs are created equally and may not produce the results that c-store owners may anticipate. To highlight what is required and what should be avoided while designing a loyalty program, there are often webinars on the do’s and don’ts of a successful rewards program. Here are some common practices that businesses should follow and some things to avoid when creating their convenience store loyalty programs.

Do’s

1. Do Keep Your Enrollment Methods Open

It is a crucial component of a customer loyalty program for convenience stores since without enough people signed up, it will be difficult to get them engaged and see great outcomes from your program. Therefore, getting prospects to enroll should be your first priority.

Divide the enrollment process into two parts: customers and the rewards program. Find out what obstacles are standing between a customer and the rewards program.

• Older customers are reluctant to use online or mobile procedures

By allowing clients to enroll in a way that they most identify with, you may completely eliminate this problem. Here is an illustration of that:

Through the use of a card, app, and website that are all accessible from any location and on any device, Thorntons employs an omnichannel enrollment strategy. The company attracted 1 million members to the program in its first year by providing the methods of enrollment to its clients.

2. Segmentation in the Loyalty Program

C-store operators typically don’t know what or how frequently their customers are buying. They only concentrate on creating a customer- or category-focused store. However, you get a bigger view when you segment your customer base based on relevance, retention, and revenue. You must do this if you want to create a successful loyalty program. The essence of loyalty programs is segmentation.

3. Customize Rewards

Segmentation is the starting point for personalizing rewards. Different c-store customer loyalty programs are readily available for them after the c-store segments its customers.

4. Do Timely Promotions

Customers will buy more quickly the closer you get them to a reward redemption or gift. Loyal clients are encouraged to make purchases via timely promotions. They also spread awareness and stir up excitement.

5. Show Generosity and Gratitude

To make sure your loyalty value is competitive with predicted future consumer behaviors, evaluate it. Make sure it expresses appreciation for your customers.

Don’ts

1. Don’t Just Focus on the Benefits

It’s a dangerous game to use discounts and rewards to reward loyalty. Customers that are simply interested in inexpensive pricing may end up being your customers. Therefore, strive to engage your customers and provide them with higher value rather than just concentrating on rewards.

2. Do Not Provide Generic Rewards

Customers in the modern day expect to be respected, acknowledged, and involved. It is therefore crucial to reward people in accordance with their individual preferences. In return for their loyalty, provide them with special discounts on selected products.

3. Do Not Think That Your Loyalty Programs Are the Only Means of Boosting Sales

The goal of loyalty programs is primarily connection building. Therefore, you won’t have much success if your only objective is to increase sales and money. To keep customers from switching to a competitor, concentrate on how you can better service them and earn their loyalty.

Conclusion

If the goal is to increase sales and ultimately improve the bottom line, launching a loyalty program is insufficient. The convenience store needs to cultivate super fans that frequently visit the same location over others and engage with it. When creating a user-friendly loyalty program that has great features and benefits, it is crucial to put the customers and their requirements first. Before launching, retailers should analyze the customer journeys and create a defined strategic program. For starters, it’s critical to keep your loyalty programs straightforward, interesting, and providing more customers with value. Your problem will be greatly reduced if you choose one of the best convenience store loyalty programs providers, such as Loyal-n-Save.