Who doesn’t love an incentive now and then? Restaurant rewards are one of the best parts of a loyalty program. Rewards are little gifts to customers. These could be anything from a 10-15 percent discount to a free reward after they purchase their 10th item. And for business owners wanting to tempt customers into repeat purchases, a rewards program is ideal. Rewards are fun for everyone involved.
This guide will tell you everything you need about using a rewards program. We’ll cover what a rewards program consists of and why it will boost your business. Ready to learn more? Good. Restaurant rewards are the most fun business strategy you’ll come across.
What Is a Restaurant Rewards Program?
A restaurant rewards program is a system that gives customers enticing bonuses the more they interact with your business. Think of it like a special club. Customers in a rewards program get exclusive access to gifts - just because they interact with your business. Essentially it is a win-win; you get repeat customers and more business, and they bring exclusive rewards.
A rewards program works in multiple ways, and you could operate a birthday rewards system, giving discounts or free items on the customer’s birthday. Even a personal email with a ‘happy birthday’ message is a great reward program addition. Not everyone gets a fuss made of them on their birthday. But with a birthday rewards system, you can build a connection with your customers on their special day.
You can also choose more timeless reward systems. For instance, a points scheme - where customers win points with every purchase and redeem them however they choose. Where your customers get to redeem points is up to you. You could partner with nearby wine companies, holiday houses, or shops. Alternatively, you could offer experiences, such as a romantic dinner for two, a Sunday lunch, or mid-week brunch.
A restaurant rewards system is flexible. It is a chance for business owners to get creative and flex their knowledge of their customer demographic. This is your chance to shine. Remember all those customer profiles and analytics gained through wifi marketing? It is time to put your demographic awareness into practice by creating amazing rewards that’ll appeal to your customers. Building awareness is a vital step for a profitable restaurant loyalty program.
Why Use Restaurant Rewards
So, why should you use restaurant rewards? What exactly makes this marketing technique so effective? It is easy to see how it should appeal to customers. Everyone loves a bargain, and everyone loves gifts. Furthermore, everyone loves to visit places where they feel part of a valued community.
It is that final point that you should pay attention to. By using a rewards program, you are creating a sense of belonging and appreciation for your customers. Picture having the choice to visit two restaurants, one of which welcomes you with a membership rewards card. You will feel more drawn to the one you have a membership with. Having a rewards program shows appreciation for repeat customers, making them feel more valued and likely to visit again.
If you haven’t already, look into the psychology of customer loyalty. Positive reinforcement is how we provide positive rewards or outcomes to others’ behavior that we find desirable. We encourage repeated behavior by giving positive rewards and outcomes. Sometimes, positive reinforcements are so effective that people (and even animals) associate a place with that positive feeling.
Most importantly, you are not rewarding customers every time. Intermittent positive reinforcement is the strongest reinforcement of all. And customers have a sense of delayed gratifications and a healthy level of challenge when joining a rewards program.
How To Use Birthday Restaurant Rewards
You can use birthday restaurant rewards to connect with your customers at particular times. It is an excellent marketing tactic for building a loyal customer base. It also establishes you as a brand that goes the extra mile. Birthday rewards are among of the best behavioral marketing sequences to build customer loyalty.
Who doesn’t appreciate someone taking the time to wish them a happy birthday? And if you send special birthday rewards, the gesture seems of higher value. Plus, you are giving them a discount or gifted item (a free coffee, perhaps). This means your customer is more likely to come and make the most of their birthday reward. You give them a friendly nudge to pop in on their special day.
So, let’s get thinking. You could email your customers on their birthday with a personalized happy birthday message. You could send them a text. You could even do birthday shoutouts on your social media platforms. In terms of rewards, you could gift anything from a 10% discount to a free item. Depending on their loyalty level, you could give different rewards values. Customers with the highest loyalty level could get a free lunch dish. In comparison, lower-level people could get a cocktail or coffee.
Using birthday rewards is a great way to feed into your goal of creating a loyal customer base. Your customers get a treat and feel like you value them. And you get a prime opportunity to target your customers with some mutually beneficial marketing - perfect.
Top Restaurant Rewards Apps
Restaurant rewards apps are some of the best ways to start a rewards program. Apps are a convenient way to manage the system - relying on automation rather than manually tracking each customer’s rewards. In the past, business owners used things like stamps on loyalty cards. Customers would then bring in their cards each time they visited your restaurant. While this style of restaurant rewards was a success during its time, choosing a digital rewards program has pros.
A digital rewards program is more manageable for customers and business owners to keep at hand. If the program has a digital card on customers’ phones, customers will likely to remember to use it. Who leaves the house without their phone these days? Barely anyone.
Restaurant apps are trending in popularity when it comes to rewards programs. Customers want to go paper-free and get rewards at the tap of their phones. If you are serious about using rewards to boost your business, you’ll want to check these top apps out.
1. Optimize Restaurant Rewards Systems With Movylo
Movylo is a rewards program tailored explicitly to restaurant rewards systems. Business users allocate points to customers in exchange for each order - which is all automated for ease. Once customers join as members, you also get access to targeted marketing. For instance, you can use newsletters and coupon codes to encourage continued engagement.
2. Custimize Loyalty Programs With Preferred Patron
Preferred Patron offers a fully customizable loyalty program. You can access the software from multiple devices and channels. For instance, utilizing text messaging, app interactions, and social media platforms. This multi-channel approach allows extra control over how you interact with customers in your loyalty program. You can even use behavioral segmentation to allocate restaurant rewards for groups of customers at a time.
3. Define Your Customer Demographics With Loyalzoo
LoyalZoo is another fantastic addition to our restaurant rewards programs. Its included marketing system splits your customer base into three categories. Dividing customers clearly into new, VIP, and endangered customers gives you a clear view of your demographic. VIP customers are already in your loyalty program (which the software helps you reward). And endangered customers are customers who the software flags as not visiting in a while - perhaps you have lost them.
You also get insights into foot traffic. All-in-all, LoyalZoo is a brilliant option if you want a particular piece of software.
4. Advanced Loyalty Programs With Square Loyalty
If you don’t mind splashing out on an ‘advanced’ loyalty program, Square Loyalty is the way to go. The software operates on the exchange of digital loyalty cards, and sticking to the nostalgic theme of a punch card allows customers to collect digital points from orders. There is also a sense of progression and challenge with tier loyalty statuses. Customers even get text notifications when they earn points.
Final Thoughts: Reasons To Start Restaurant Rewards Today
There are tons of reasons to use restaurant rewards in your business. And there are even more reasons why you should start using a rewards program today. Restaurant rewards are perfect for building a customer loyalty program. They help to encourage repeat customers - getting you regular business and friendly, familiar faces. The cost of gifting repeat customers is also super low. It could be as simple as the cost of a free coffee for their tenth coffee purchase.
By starting your rewards program today, you will take a huge step toward increasing customer loyalty. Stop procrastinating and pick your software of choice. Your customers and future business will thank you. Plus, it only takes an hour or two to set up.
Are you looking for some extra help? At Beambox, we are always happy to help. As experts in building loyal and satisfied customers, we can help start your journey to success. Entrust your rewards program to use, and we’ll take the following steps together.
Let’s get the ball rolling today. Beambox offers the best all-in-one wifi marketing platform. We leverage a dynamic approach to connect, capture, and keep more customers. Start your Beambox free trial today, and let us help you maximize your content marketing potential.
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