Loyalty & Engagement
8 Ways to Give Loyalty Points for Action Besides Purchasing
Loyalty programs allow brands to foster customer engagement and boost morale. While loyalty programs are great, if you focus only on purchases, you may miss out on many opportunities to deepen relationships with customers. By diversifying how you award loyalty points, you can enhance your customer’s experience. Here are eight fun and effective ways to give loyalty points for actions besides purchasing.
1. Social Media Engagement
Social media is an excellent way to gain brand visibility and customer interaction on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, etc. Rewarding customers for actions such as following your social media accounts, liking posts, sharing content, and using hashtags can significantly enhance your online presence. This strategy not only incentivizes your existing customers to engage with your brand but also helps in customer acquisition as their interactions introduce your brand to their platforms. You can further enhance this by creating social media challenges or campaigns where customers can earn participation points and showcase their experience with your brand.
2. Referrals and Recommendations
Word-of-mouth remains one of the most effective forms of marketing. Implementing a referral program where customers can earn points for referring friends and family can be a game changer. You can offer additional points for each successful referral, making it an excellent way for customers to engage with your business. To make the referral process even more engaging, consider adding tiered rewards where customers can earn valuable points or prizes based on the number of successful referrals they create.
3. Content Creation
Encouraging customers to create content related to your brand can be incredibly beneficial. This could include writing reviews, creating unboxing videos, or posting photos of them using your product. User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful tool for building trust and authenticity around your brand. Rewarding customers with their creativity can drive further engagement and provide you with valuable marketing material. Try hosting contests or challenges where customers can submit their content for a chance to earn points or rewards to help motivate your customers to share their experiences.
4. Surveys and Feedback
Understanding your customers’ needs and preferences is important for tweaking your products and services. By awarding points for completing surveys or providing feedback, you can gather essential insights while showing customers that their opinions are valued. To increase participation, consider offering bonus points for more detailed feedback or participating in focus groups.
5. Participating in Events
Whether virtual or in-person, hosting events can be a great way to engage with your community. Offering points for signing up, attending, or participating in events helps create a sense of belonging and community around your customers. This is particularly effective for eCommerce trends and businesses looking to create memorable experiences. You can also incentivize participation by awarding extra points for engaging in event activities such as Q&A sessions, workshops, or social media live streams.
6. Anniversary and Milestone Rewards
Celebrating milestones with your customers can massively increase their sense of belonging. Rewarding points for anniversaries of joining your loyalty program, birthdays, or other personal milestones acknowledges their continued relationship with your brand. You can personalize these rewards by offering special perks or exclusive offers on these significant dates. You can also create a reward system where customers can unlock higher levels of rewards as they reach more milestones. This will motivate your customers to remain loyal and engaged with your brand long-term.
7. Engaging with Educational Content
Brands can offer points for customers who engage with educational content such as blogs, webinars, or tutorials. This positions your brand as a valuable resource and encourages customers to become more knowledgeable about your product or industry. If you want to enhance their experience, try creating interactive quizzes or challenges related to the content, where customers can earn points for their knowledge. Offering certifications for completing certain educational milestones can also provide additional motivation and recognition for their engagement.
8. Charity and Community Involvement
Modern customers are increasingly looking to support brands that align with their values. In the United States, 69% of the population donates to charities regularly. Offering loyalty points for charitable events, such as donations or volunteering, can enhance your brand image while forming deeper connections with your customers. You can create special campaigns where a portion of loyalty points can be converted into charitable donations, allowing customers to contribute to causes they care about through your loyalty program.
Build Your Loyalty Program with Ostana
Ostana is a loyalty and engagement software packed with features designed to help small businesses thrive. With Ostana, you can access powerful tools to create top-tier reward programs that excite your existing customers and attract new ones. Ostana offers a comprehensive suite of customizable rewards and incentives, making it easy to implement all the strategies mentioned above.
Discover how Ostana can elevate your customer loyalty strategy. Schedule a demo today to unlock the full potential of your rewards program and build meaningful relationships with your customers while achieving your business goals!