How to start a loyalty program for a small business

Six steps

1. 01

   Choose stamps over points

   "10 visits, one free" is understood instantly. Points need explaining, and what needs explaining doesn't get used.

2. 02

   Pick a reward people want

   Your most popular item, not your slowest seller. The reward should feel like a gift, not a clearance.

3. 03

   Set the number of visits

   Count how often a regular comes. Weekly visitors: 6 to 8 stamps. Daily visitors: 10. Monthly: 4 to 6. A regular should reach the reward in about one to two months.

4. 04

   Make joining take seconds

   Every extra step loses people. A QR code at the till that puts the card in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet beats an app download or a sign-up form.

5. 05

   Train the team to ask

   "Do you have our card?" at every payment doubles sign-ups. Make stamping one scan so nobody skips it when it's busy.

6. 06

   Use the data

   The real value is knowing who your regulars are. Each month, write to customers who stopped coming and ask happy regulars for a review.

Common mistakes

• A reward that takes too long: if regulars need six months, they give up.
• Asking customers to download an app: most never do.
• A paper card with no data: you can't bring back people you can't name.
• Messaging too often: once a week at most, and only to people who agreed.

Where Looppass fits

Looppass is built around exactly this playbook: stamp cards in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, joining by QR code with no app, a PIN-protected scanner on any phone, and a dashboard that lists who went quiet, who came once and who is close to a reward. The first month is free.

Questions