Are you looking to add more people to your customer loyalty program? Of course you are! There’s always room for more members. After all, a recent survey shows customers are 82% more likely to shop at a store that offers a loyalty program. Statistics like that should be motivation enough.

The more members you add, the bigger impact your loyalty program will have. To help allure more people to your loyalty program, we’ve put together this list of five ways to attract new sign ups.

1. Simplify and get visual

Make sure your loyalty program is as easy as possible to understand. If customers have to break out a calculator to figure out how to collect or redeem points, it’s tough to attract new users.

You should be able to explain your customer loyalty program in a single sentence. Say something simple like, one point for every dollar spent, or one free item after purchasing ten. Simplicity is key in attracting new members. If you offer additional discounts (because promotions can increase repeat business by up to 70%), be sure to mention your program includes additional, exclusive rewards and discounts for members only.

To ensure your customer loyalty program is as easy as possible to understand, create nicely-designed visuals that clearly lay out your points system and rewards structure. This could be in the form of a display board near your register, on the back of a business card, a chalkboard on the wall of your business, or even in the form a fun infographic shared on your website and social channels.

2. Offer a signup incentive

Nothing motivates buyers like an incentive. Offer double points upon sign up, offer half off, a buy one, get one free reward on the next purchase, or even enter new members into a drawing for a prize. Create a reason for people to sign up.

3. Make the rewards worth it

Customers not only want a simple program, but one that’s worth their time. If customers have to wait too long to claim a reward, or if the reward itself is lackluster, you’ll have a hard time signing up new members.

For example, if you run a coffee shop and your loyalty program offers a $5 coupon, or a free drink for every $500 spent, customers have a lot of coffee-filled mornings before reaping any reward.

Of course, you don’t want to give out a free product with every purchase, but your program should offer rewards at low thresholds to keep customers coming back for more.

Consider using a tiered rewards structure. The first tier of rewards should offer “point burners.” These include items customers need often and can redeem easily, like a free cup of coffee. The second tier of rewards would include “loyalty creators,” which are popular or staple items that customers strive to earn. The third tier of rewards could include “intangibles,” which are more difficult to reach and geared towards high spenders. 

4. Collect emails addresses online and on social

You may use a phone number to sign up new members because they’re easy to remember, quick to type in, don’t change that often, and they’re easy to look up. Collecting email addresses in addition (with the help of a sign up form) can help you reach even more potential members.

Put an email sign up form on your website and your social channels to continually add to your list of contacts. Tools like PopUp Domination can help you install an easy signup form on your site. If you’re using an email marketing service provider like MailChimp, Constant Contact, or VerticalResponse, they provide embeddable sign up forms to include on your website.

Most email service providers (as mentioned above) also include automated email features. Set up an automated welcome email for new email signups that includes an explanation of your loyalty program.

Once you have a collection of email addresses, or if you’ve already been using email marketing for a while, send an additional email that highlights your customer loyalty program and encourages the recipient to sign up in-store or on the app.

Whether your loyalty program offers email marketing, or you use an email service provider, continue to use your email list (in addition to text) to reach out to new and existing customers with updates and incentives throughout the year.

5. Promote your loyalty program on multiple channels

Speaking of advertising, it’s time to shout about your loyalty program from the digital rooftops. If customers don’t know that your program exists, they can’t sign up. Here are a few ways to promote your program:

• Advertise your customer loyalty program on your website

Put a small banner on your website. If your loyalty program also includes an online profile, provide a link to your profile, or even better, provide a link to download the free app. A survey by Technology Advice says people are 59% more likely to join a loyalty program that offers a smartphone app.

• Use social media

Talk about your loyalty program on social media. Share a link to your website that offers more information about the program, tweet a link for customers to download the app and encourage current users to share feedback about the program on Facebook.

Here are examples of businesses advertising their loyalty programs on Twitter with a simple message:

• Post in-store signage

Tell your customers about your loyalty program by posting signs around your store. Include a banner at your checkout, a sandwich board on the sidewalk, an advertisement on the bathroom mirror, and a window sticker on your door.

• Give out business cards or flyers

Create a business card, flyer or a small piece of marketing material that focuses on your loyalty program. A business card can have your company’s name, logo, name of the loyalty program, a quick description and a way to sign up.

If you want to add more information than you can fit on a business card, go for a flyer or a postcard. Put the necessary information on the card and give it to customers as they walk in or checkout.

Going to a tradeshow? When you chat with potential customers, be sure to mention your loyalty program and give out marketing material about it.

Turn to affordable online printing companies like Vistaprint or the UPS Store to purchase these marketing materials.

How do you attract new members to your loyalty program? Share your tips in the comment section below.