Loyalty & Reward Programs for Small Businesses

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For all small businesses competition is typically fierce and growth goals ambitious. Put AIR MILES to work for you and you will have one more tool in our Marketing toolbox to help you achieve your revenue targets.

 

Why small business rewards and incentives are important:

  • 90% of Canadians participate in a minimum of one loyalty program.
  • 77% of consumers say that Loyalty Programs make them more likely to continue doing business with brands
  • Shoppers are more actively researching brands before making a purchase
  • Pricing is an unreliable differentiator and there must be an added incentive.

 

Rewarding your customers makes it possible for you to:

  • Enhance your brand awareness and credibility, especially online
  • Differentiate yourself from competitors
  • Motivate customers to try your products or services for the first time
  • Increase spending per transaction and repeat business
  • Creates a positive feelings toward your business that transforms into loyalty and referrals
  • And more…

 

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SMALL BUSINESSES SUCCEED WITH AIR MILES®

178%

Higher CTR

A Partner saw significantly higher CTR with AIR MILES branded emails.

87%

More Spend

AIR MILES Collectors spent 87% more than non-Collectors.

118%

More Transactions

Reward offers led to increases of 118% in transactions, 59% in spend and 88% in sales.

70%

Prefer Miles Over Cash

A Partner's AIR MILES® incentive was chosen 70% of the time over a cash discount.

LOYALTY PROGRAMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES – Making your loyalty program successful

Running in-house loyalty programs for small businesses comes with many challenges. From deciding what type of reward program to start, figuring out what rewards your customers will care about, advertising the program, to setting up the technology and processes to run the program, businesses are looking at a significant investment in time and resources.

Here are the important steps to take to make sure your loyalty program is successful:

Offer rewards that customers value

Rewarding customers with something they want and care about is key to the success of a loyalty program. After all, consumers are drawn to loyalty programs because they want to receive rewards for their purchases.

It may be difficult to offer rewards that appeal to all consumers, but if a business understands its customer base and considers their preferences, it will be able choose rewards that will resonate best with their target audience.

Deliver a positive customer experience

A smooth customer experience is critical to the success of a loyalty program. A program that is easy for customers to understand and participate in leads to higher rates of satisfaction and program engagement.

Another way to make a loyalty program fun and engaging is to reward customers for online activities such as writing a review, following the company social channels, sharing a post, completing a survey, watching a video, or downloading an app. These actions will help improve user experience as well.

Promote the program and its benefits

If customers are unaware that a loyalty program exists, it will not drive traffic towards a business location or website, influence behaviour or deliver the competitive advantage that businesses are looking for.

It is critical for a business to tell their customers about the benefits of their loyalty program and how/when they will get rewards. The top four ways to promote a loyalty program include the company website, in store, on all marketing materials, and through company employees.

Get staff engaged

Getting staff fully engaged is the secret weapon of success for a business’ loyalty program. When employees are knowledgeable and excited about the program, they are more likely to share it with customers.

Front line staff are the in-house ambassadors, and the more educated and confident they are about the benefits of your loyalty program, the more successful they will be when promoting it to the public as well.

Stay connected

Social media is a great medium to engage with customers and get existing and potential followers to join a loyalty program. Promoting the program on social media is a simple and cost-effective way to let customers know about the loyalty program and any new and exciting offers.

When the company shares stories of customers getting rewarded, winning prizes or other positive experiences it will reach many potential new customers. Emails to a customer database are also a great way to introduce a loyalty program, provide details and get customers excited about the possibility of getting rewards.

 

Choosing the right type of loyalty program for your business is also very important. Loyalty programs come in many formats and there are benefits and drawbacks to each approach. Some programs are better suited for certain types of businesses and it is certainly not a one-size-fits-all situation.

The AIR MILES® Reward Program has been the top coalition reward program in Canada for over 25 years, is proven to get results and, through AIR MILES INCENTIVES, qualified businesses can adopt it as their reward program in very little time.

Contact us to learn more.

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Don't just take our word for it

HELP YOUR SMALL BUSINESS REACH MAJOR MILESTONES

 

Getting started is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. We get to know your small business and its challenges, then create a custom AIR MILES® Reward Program together.

2. We’ll help educate and train your staff and ensure a smooth launch.

3. User-friendly management tools and support services are provided.

 

You can always count on us for assistance.

As the top coalition brand in Canada, we’re recognized by 99 percent of Canadians and enable for a flatter learning curve, making it easy to integrate the AIR MILES® Reward Program with your small business. We’ll help you every step of the way in your customized implementation, from development and marketing to employee training.

 

Get Started Now!

 

OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES USING THE AIR MILES® REWARD PROGRAM

Frequently Asked Questions

How do small business rewards and incentives help my business?

Prospective customers will develop a stronger affinity with your products and services, especially if they have a great experience and share it. This makes customer loyalty programs for small businesses, through a respected and trusted canadian rewards programs name, the ideal way to encourage more local and online business. For example, with the AIR MILES® Reward Program, customers will benefit from the ability to earn Miles in more places thanks to our widespread adoption. Miles can then be redeemed for over 1,200 options including AIR MILES® Cash, travel and attractions, entertainment, merchandise, and more.

How will a reward program help me stand out from the competition?

Competition is fierce, particularly among small businesses. Relationships with customers are formed by providing them with an appealing value, often through added incentives. Therefore, building and retaining these relationships based on trust is critical. A custom reward program from a trusted provider adds further incentive for them to remain loyal to your brand.

Being an AIR MILES® Reward Program partner can help you get there. By joining us you’ll enjoy a streamlined, supportive relationship with our experts to refine – and redefine – your personalized incentives. With nearly 11 million active AIR MILES® Reward Miles Collectors enrolled in our reward program – 80 percent of whom are always on the lookout for more ways to earn points – there’s a lot of potential for your company to succeed.
 

 

What is a small business customer loyalty program?

Customer loyalty programs for small business enable you to deliver a compelling value proposition to your target demographic. The best way to do this is to strengthen the voice of your brand and build consumer trust. When it comes to loyalty programs for small businesses, partnering with a widely recognized brand with a large install base can pave the way for more engagement, leads, and profit potential.