By Tracy Morin
In today’s competitive landscape, offering a loyalty program has become less of an optional add-on and more of a necessity. After all, these programs don’t only benefit loyal customers with freebies and special offers—they benefit pizzerias with a rise in returning business and, often, the ability to track (and then target) your fan base accordingly.
“Loyal customers are the lifeblood of successful restaurants, and those customers should be rewarded,” notes Darren Easton, VP and creative director at The Cyphers Agency in Crofton, Maryland. “Restaurants that treat their return customers to extra perks provide an added sense of community and value.”
A strong loyalty program is a big investment, but it pays for itself. It encourages repeat visits, generates top-of-mind awareness and, best of all, lets you track your customers’ preferences to determine which special offers work—and why they work—and which menu items are red-hot or not.
But whether or not you choose a tech-based solution, there are certain basics to keep in mind when designing any loyalty program.
Design a clear, easy-to-use program. Easton notes that a quality loyalty program is important, but it doesn’t mean much if your customers aren’t aware of the plentiful benefits they’ll receive when signing up. Make sure you outline these in an easy-to-understand way. “Customers want to know exactly what they’re receiving when joining,” Easton explains. “Most programs are free to join, but clearly stating the benefits can persuade an ambivalent potential member.”
Make customers feel special. Your customers want to feel like they’re part of something exclusive, and there are various ways to increase the mystique. “Although you want to clearly state the perks of the loyalty program (in social media content or elsewhere), it’s important to leave a bit of mystery that ignites some curiosity,” Easton says. “This could include additional benefits that are revealed once a customer is signed up or monthly surprise benefits that keep members around. This can be incorporated into monthly social media content that includes an intriguing perk along with an alluring teaser.”
Some pizzerias offer different “club levels” that are determined by how much the customer spends, with each level awarding bigger prizes. Those who spend $100 over one year might get a free pizza, while the next level ($300) will earn a free pizza and beverage at every $100 achievement. Maybe $600-per-year spenders earn all that and a dessert, too. And all participants get birthday freebies to celebrate their special day.
Encourage signups. Now that you have customers interested and informed, it’s time to finish the transaction. “When it comes to signing up for loyalty programs, the simpler, the better,” Easton says. “Online, create a clear call to action (such as ‘Click here to sign up’) that directly takes the customer to the signup page. From there, the process should be streamlined and include basic information, such as email address and phone number. Explain the straightforward nature of the signup process to reassure your audience that it’s a quick and easy click-through.”
For in-store sign-ups, try this: Instead of asking for a customer’s info as they’re placing an order—and potentially slowing down the ordering process—let them scan a QR code at the cashier station or their table to quickly get their first points. Guests will love that system for its speed and ease.
Promote your loyalty program everywhere: Use every channel possible. Here are some ideas:
- The bottom of each receipt should encourage signups
- Promote it regularly on social media and, of course, your website.
- QR codes will naturally spark interest and start conversations in-store, but they should also be included on all direct-mail pieces and flyers.
- Send out regular e-blasts to your Facebook followers and anyone already in your database who isn’t currently a member.
- Create offers that are exclusive to users of your loyalty program app.
Social Media Tie-ins
As Easton notes, “Social media platforms provide direct access to current and potential customers that will not only be enticed to sign up for a loyalty program, but engage with the content on the restaurant’s social account. This provides a more supportive community, where both customers and the restaurant owners can feel excited to coexist.”
When you’re promoting your rewards program on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or other platforms, you should tailor your message to the audience on each platform. To accomplish that, you need to analyze the results of your content and test creative approaches, messages and calls to action with different types of posts. Look for differences in your demographics on, say, Facebook versus Instagram versus TikTok.
For example, Easton notes that, typically, older audiences are more present on Facebook, compared to younger audiences on TikTok and Instagram. Hence, certain loyalty perks that appeal to an older audience should be predominantly on Facebook, whereas other perks may be better off posted front and center on Instagram.
Also on social media, incorporate what Easton calls “thumb-stopping assets”—in other words, messaging and imagery that stop scrollers in their tracks. “Choose a creative asset (video or static image) that still embodies the restaurant’s brand,” Easton advises. “The creative asset should catch the audience’s attention, while the copy includes more details about the benefits and registration process. Remember that all social media posts must be concise, creative and on-brand.”
