How many membership cards do you have in your wallet? Grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations—plenty of businesses we use each day have discounts and rewards programs that keep customers returning. Other businesses have jumped on the bandwagon to offer extra benefits to their returning customers. A membership card is an effective business card and a loyalty program all rolled into one.
It’s not just the perks that count, though. Your brand’s values speak more to your customer than any material incentives. Start that valuable relationship with a membership card! It’s a physical item that fits perfectly in a wallet, and it brings you and your customer together with the promise of a lasting business connection.
Give your first-time customers a reason to return by showing your brand’s values and tempting incentives with a single card. Learn how custom membership cards build brand loyalty and start designing your own today.
They Offer an Exclusive Experience
Elevate your customer to a member (doesn’t that sound tempting?) by emphasizing what they can access that non-members cannot. If you work in commerce, create member-exclusive products that people will want.
Consider adding tiers to your membership as well. The more your customer returns to your business, the more lavish the perks can be. Plus, it always feels good to be a “gold” member of any establishment. Make the customer feel extra important, and they’ll be happy to return again and again, especially if you have a “platinum” level for them!
They Enable More Customization
When you link your custom membership cards to a system on your computer, you can gather information on which products or services the member likes to buy. With this extra info, you can build a more personalized experience. Research has repeatedly shown that customers expect a personal touch and respond well to offers tailored to their needs.
Provide discounts or opportunities to earn points when the customer uses their membership card. That way, they’ll be more likely to take advantage of it. If you notice that they buy lots of t-shirts, for example, offer a member-exclusive tee when they spend 100 dollars. When you personalize the experience for your customers, they’ll be happier to return and rack up those points. Show them that you know what they like and dedicate yourself to providing more of it.
They Demonstrate Your Brand’s Value
When you build relationships with clients and customers, your goal is to present yourself as the best possible solution to their needs. Give them plenty of opportunities to interact with your brand, such as new-member perks and free exclusives when they level up. They’ll keep coming back to your business and will build their own sense of pride in working with you. And why not offer incentives when they tell their friends about you? Consider discounts or extra points on their card for referring a new customer.
The degree of care you show your customers directly affects your brand’s value. Personalization and unique experiences will make you stick out in their minds, and a membership card is a part of creating those experiences. When your customers feel like a priority, they’ll value you as a business.
They Keep You Relevant
Offering a membership program is an evergreen marketing tactic. Most businesses have “off” seasons where traffic and revenue take a dip. However, a physical membership card in a customer’s wallet will remind them of you.
If they’ve collected enough points on their card, it’ll incentivize them to buy a product or service from you. For example, if you sell holiday cards, but it’s only August, a customer with enough points may still take advantage of a discount.
They Save You Money
This point may sound counterintuitive if you’re thinking about all the discounts and freebies you plan to hand out. However, it costs 5 to 10 times more money to garner a new customer than to work with an existing one. Custom membership cards are a modest investment upfront, but they pay for themselves as your customers buy more from you to level up their memberships.
Plus, existing customers are more familiar with your products and services. They know you offer only the best. Someone who’s worked with you before will spend an average of 67 percent more money than a brand-new customer. This is exactly why membership cards have gained so much steam in recent years!
When you save money on trying to reel in new customers all the time, you can invest more in your current customers and amp up your brand. High-quality member exclusives will build a strong sense of loyalty in those customers.
They Increase Traffic
When McDonald’s implements their iconic Monopoly program, its sales go up by 5.6 percent. People are more likely to go to a business if there’s a possibility of a free reward. That’s the same principle behind buy-one-get-one-free sales.
Advertise your membership program and give customers a sneak peek at its benefits. They’ll feel tempted to spend 200 dollars if it means they get an exclusive item. It’s a win-win situation—you get their business, and they get to work towards a reward. Membership programs keep your customers engaged with your brand.
Even smaller coupons and discounts for 10 percent off will encourage your customer to shop with you, especially if there’s an expiration date on them. They may not have planned to purchase anything initially, but if they have a coupon expiring at the end of the month, they’ll want to use it. Reward your customers for their patronage, and they’ll have good reasons to come back.
Now that you know how custom membership cards build brand loyalty, you can more effectively implement them and make them work for your business. Customized membership cards are a boon to any business. They offer a personalized experience for your customers and encourage continued interaction with your brand. A unique card that they hang on their keyring or slip into their wallet will keep your business fresh in their minds. Silk Cards offers dozens of unique design opportunities so that your membership cards can stand out while remaining relevant to your brand. So contact us today.
