Starting a Loyalty Program Doesn't Have to Be Overwhelming

I have a fear of driving over bridges. I'm sure it's not uncommon, but what you may not know about me is that I live on an island and the only way off the island is over one of four bridges or by boat. A bigger problem is that my family lives on the other side of those bridges, my favorite beaches are on the other side of those bridges and, up until three years ago, I worked on the other side of those bridges. 

So, I buckle up and take steps to stem the panic attack. Sometimes, I mix up the steps. Is it five things I can see and four things I can touch or five things I can touch and four things I can see? But in reality, the order doesn’t matter. What matters is that I take those steps. 

The same can be said about entering the loyalty game. For small operators especially, the overall task of establishing a loyalty program may be a little overwhelming. However, there are key steps to take that can make the task manageable — and, well, rewarding. 

According to loyalty experts, retailers should focus on: 

• Ways to create emotional engagement; 
• Loop in unique elements of the brand or product offering into a loyalty strategy;
• Develop an ecosystem that delivers a more robust and holistic member experience; 
• Explore alternative loyalty strategies; and 
• Leverage technology to create greater customer engagement. 

Small operators just need to take that first step.