subject: Small Business Marketing Using Reward Programs [print this page] Small Business Marketing Using Reward Programs
As a small business there are many aspects that make up your marketing plan. Sometimes it's easy to feel that by using a dozen different methods that we don't have control over what is happening. Marketing is all about getting your message out to as many people as possible, the more ways the better. But what do you do once you have people interested or even better yet once they become a customer or client of yours...Reward programs are nothing new and if we follow the example of the big corporations such as Airlines, Credit Card companies, Hotel chains we can learn a valuable lesson on how important they are to keep people coming back and spending money with them.So how can you take your business and put in a simple reward program that keeps your customers returning and paying, PLUS makes your prospects take notice and go with you because your program is so good.It's not expected that you set up a rewards program like AMEX. Giving away trips, electronics, cash etc but what is it that is perceived to be valuable in your business that people would like to receive as a gift for being loyal. A great example on a smaller scale is done with bakeries were they provide you with a card and after the 5th visit you receive a gift for coming back (usually a block of bread or a bun). When you take that simple concept and break it down it has all the features of a great reward program.It gets people coming back It keeps people buying from you It gives them something to look forward to and fill their card up It builds a relationship between business and customerHaving a rewards program does not need to be expensive or in fact cost the business anything at all. The starting point is seeing what it is that your customer would want as a reward for shopping with you. What is it that will keep them coming back for. Obviously each business will be different, but start in your own back yard, are there products or services that could help you provide such a program.A product distribution and internet company I'm involed with has introduced a cash back program. Everytime someone buys they get 2% - 35% cash back as a reward. Would you keep coming back and buying from that store if you instantly got cash back each time.Most businesses don't set up such programs as they seem hard to do, hard to manage and there not sure where to begin.If you just started with the bakery model and got a card made up on cardboard with 5 squares on it, once all 5 squares were marked the customer got a ..... That is an easy model to follow and you could set it up today.Having a reward program is just another marketing tool that keeps customers returning, with have customers referring because what you're doing is different from your competitors and helps builds a relationship between business and customer which is extremely important for your business survival.
