You’ve provided your loyalty members with a product, service or experience they can rely on, but is that enough? Offering a great service is the perfect way to begin, however the process shouldn’t end there. If you want great customer relationships, it’s all about going the extra mile. Regardless of what you’re offering, showing appreciation to your customers can transform each sales cycle from a one-off transaction into an ongoing, mutually-beneficial customer relationship.
New members are a valuable target and enticing them can be very appealing, but holding onto already-engaged customers is equally as important - and six times more cost effective. You’ve sparked their interest, so focus on nurturing the relationships you have with current members to encourage ongoing spend and engagement with your product. We’ve put together actionable tips to show current loyalty members you care, revealing how simple it is to say ‘thank you’.
1. Welcome them aboard
Expressing gratitude to your newest loyalty members is a simple, low-cost way to make them feel valued from the very start. By sending emails addressed to them upon sign-up, you can immediately create a sense of inclusion. A small gift such as a free ice cream or popcorn with their first visit to your theater is also a great token of appreciation, and encourages return business.
2. Appreciate referrals
84% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over any form of advertising, so spread the love! Encourage positive referrals in two parts; by creating unforgettable experiences and small incentives.
Many loyalty programs work on a points system, so use this currency to reward members who refer others. You can track this by providing individual promotion codes they can easily share on social media and through email. The more friends they sign up, the more points they will receive.
3. Thank them for their feedback
Customers share negative experiences with other people over twice as often as they praise good customer service, so it’s important to listen to negative feedback and remedy it immediately. 70% of people will do business with you again if you resolve their issue, so take its inevitability into your control and create an incentive program for feedback. By building this feedback request into your loyalty program, you can keep a constant finger on the pulse of your members’ opinions and adjust your loyalty rewards and services to reflect them.
4. Surprise them
The only thing better than receiving gifts is receiving them unexpectedly! For those high-value members, spontaneous upgrades at the POS are the ‘thank-you’ that pushes your service across the line. A free concession item or cinema seat upgrade will make them feel valued, and 50% of consumers will use a company more often after a positive experience.
5. Recognize their loyalty
Everyone loves special treatment, so spoil your loyal members with a VIP experience. When they reach a certain loyalty level, thank them with an invitation-only event. This could be a special movie screening, a VIP ticket price or a discounted package.
"Developing a distinct social media strategy for your members is an effective way to build a sense of community for your loyalty program."
Sarah Lewthwaite,
Movio Expert
6. Build a community
More and more customers are using social media to voice their opinions on products and services, so follow the trend and be active on relevant social channels. Create an online community that features exclusive movie updates, freebies and member-only content. You can reply to member comments, thank them for their feedback, or even use it as a platform for celebrating loyalty milestones publicly.
Take the time to recognize your loyalty members and their individual engagements with your product or service. By mastering the art of customer retention, you will be able to turn your focus to attracting new members without jeopardizing your current customer base.
