Creating a Customer Loyalty Program? Get Started in 5 Steps.
As CSMs, finding new and creative ways to engage with customers is not always easy. And as customer success leaders, it’s even harder to develop programs and processes to give your team the freedom and flexibility to engage with customers in this way.
Often used to open the door to these more unique customer experiences, customer loyalty programs can be an excellent idea for CSMs and team leaders alike to delve into some of these new ways to connect and engage with customers.
What is a customer loyalty program?
A customer loyalty program, much like any punch-card program at your local deli, rewards, and thanks customers for being part of your team. Instead of getting a free sandwich after ten purchases, however, a SaaS organization’s customer loyalty program goes above and beyond a simple gift. It combines customer success, marketing, and sales and definitively thanks your customers while giving them new reasons to connect with your team.
How to build one in your organization
Building a customer loyalty program from the ground up at your organization may sound daunting at first. Still, if you have a group of satisfied customers on hand and a team ready to see this group grow, then you’re already halfway there.
Here are five steps for getting started with your new customer loyalty program:
1. Identify the benefits of your customer loyalty program. What will your customer loyalty program entail? Some examples of customer loyalty benefits include:
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- Monthly regional dinner invites and events
- Complimentary conference admission
- Monthly or quarterly thank you gifts
- Advanced product and feature announcements and demos
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2. Map out what makes a customer eligible for the loyalty program. What makes a loyal customer eligible to be part of this program? You can make decisions based on the tenure of the contract, satisfaction levels, customer health score, and more.
3. Select the first round of customers and invite them to join your customer loyalty program. Work with your marketing team to formally invite your first round of customers to be part of the program. This is a big deal and should be treated as such. Highlight the benefits of being part of the program and ensure the customer understands the requirements on their end.
4. Continue to develop new ways for customers to engage with the program. Always look to be offering new options to customers who are part of the program. Go above and beyond to thank them for their support, and in return, you can send informal surveys, ask for feedback, and uncover new insights about what your customers are looking for.
5. Continue to invite newly eligible customers to join the program. Continue to scale your new customer loyalty program by inviting newly eligible customers to join regularly. As your program grows, you can highlight testimonials and success stories from long-time loyal customers to attract new ones.
Ready to learn more?
Getting creative with your customers, giving them new ways to engage with each other and with your organization, and delivering unique customer experiences is the mark of a truly modern, customer-focused organization.
You can learn more about delivering incredible customer experiences with these additional resources from ClientSuccess: