I’m helping a client design a consumer rewards program, with the goal of increasing our competitive advantage and attracting new customers. Because the product mix has excellent margins, we can offer a program that provides high value to the customer. To give you an idea, joining the rewards program includes ALL THESE GREAT BENEFITS:
Free product for signing up- Points on every purchase
- Free product on your birthday
- Referral rewards
Our marketing challenge is to motivate customers to sign up for the program through on-site signage and online advertising.
Because customers will only give your marketing messages a glance (if you’re lucky!), what they see needs to be arresting. Our marketing strategy for launching the consumer rewards program is to minimize what we tell customers– only try to communicate what the customer needs to know for the next step.
Marketing Communication Strategy
Step 1: Sign Up – Enjoy a free product today for signing up
Step 2: Repeat Purchases – Earn points on every purchase
Step 3: Feel Delighted by Our Brand – Surprise customers with a free product on their birthday
Step 4: Refer a Friend – Earn referral rewards
Although it’s tempting to tell customers all the great reasons they should sign up for this program and the many ways they will benefit, they may be too busy or distracted to notice a list of features. It’s the marketing communication corollary to Steve Yastrow’s sales tip, Don’t Load the Slingshot.
By sharing one compelling benefit at each stage of the customer lifecycle, we’re offering a reward for taking one specific action right away. Minimalist marketing goes against many companies’ instincts, but it matches customer behavior and attention spans perfectly.
