Incentivizing your customers is a great way to make them engage with your loyalty program, like by offering loyalty amplifiers such as sweepstakes.
In the past month, we’ve seen some great examples of these types of loyalty tactics put into action by leading brands.
From a loyalty perspective, in May:
- On The Border launched an elevated loyalty program
- Red Roof Inn offered loyalty program members special offers and a sweepstakes
- Sheetz launched a lifetime gas giveaway sweepstakes
- TGI Fridays upgraded its loyalty program
- Best Buy Unveiled Three My Best Buy Memberships
On The Border Elevated Its Loyalty Program
On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, the world’s largest Mexican casual dining brand, enhanced its popular Border Rewards loyalty program so it would be easier for members to earn bold rewards.
The upgraded loyalty program unveiled cheesy bonuses for On The Border’s No. 1 selling menu item, Signature Queso. Company officials also added two new loyalty tiers. The earning structure and all other benefits remain the same.
Suzie Tsai, Vice President of Marketing at On The Border, said: “We pride ourselves on making people feel special and heard by giving them what we promised: More queso and bolder rewards!”
Silver Tier members can enjoy $2 off queso every day while Gold Tier members can enjoy 50% off queso every day. Gold Tier members receive the added perk of monthly double points day.
It’s important to remember that not every customer is the same which is why a tiered loyalty approach is smart. When you can offer loyalty program members various tiers to aspire to, you can reward at them at different levels depending on engagement. The more they engage, the more value they receive, potentially becoming a brand advocate in the process.
Red Roof Inn Has Much to Celebrate With Guests This Summer
To honor its 50th anniversary, and being named the No. 1 Best Budget Hotel Brand in America by USA Today readers, Red Roof wanted to help travelers this summer by offering free hotel stays and special prices now through Sept. 5, 2023.
As part of this incentive, RediRewards members who complete two separate stays at Red Roof locations any time between May 22 and Sept. 5, 2023, will earn bonus points for a free night at any Red Roof Inn, Red Roof PLUS+ or HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof. In addition, RediRewards members will receive 15% discounted Member Exclusive Rates.
To participate, consumers must be a member of the Red Roof loyalty program, RediRewards, and register free online for the promotion.
Once registered, travelers will be automatically entered into the Red Roof 50th Anniversary Celebration Sweepstakes, where they are qualified for the chance to win the ultimate prize of a cruise, or an Orlando vacation package, including lodging at Spot X by The Red Collection Orlando, for a traveler and three of his or her guests, for eight days and seven nights.
Each completed stay at a Red Roof location gives members an additional entry into the sweepstakes. There will be one drawing every month to select a grand prize winner. Also, through a sweepstakes, Red Roof is offering travelers the chance to win $50 Visa gift cards to help with gas and other travel costs, through weekly drawings.
Ninety percent of consumers agree they’re more likely to engage with a brand if it offers incentivized engagements, like a sweepstakes. And more than half (57%) of consumers have made a first-time purchase with a brand after participating in an incentivized engagement.
Sheetz Launched Fascinating Summer Sweepstakes
Another brand offering an enticing sweepstakes this summer is Sheetz, an Altoona, Pa.-based convenience store chain.
One lucky Sheetz loyalty member will win “Free Gas 4 Life,” redeemable at the company’s more than 675 Mid-Atlantic locations, while six others will receive free gas for a year.
The grand prize winner will have the choice of a one-time $250,000 cash award or Sheetz gift cards in an amount sufficient to purchase 25 gallons of fuel per week for 52 weeks each year for a maximum of 50 years. Six first-prize winners can choose from a $5,000 Sheetz gift card or a check for $3,500.
As many as 700 loyalty program members will each receive a $500 Sheetz gift card. The sweepstakes runs from May 3 to Aug. 31.
Loyalty members can see their total number of accumulated entries on the bottom of their receipts. The drawing is set for early September.
To participate, consumers must be at least 18 and a member of the My Sheetz Rewardz loyalty program.
Loyalty amplifiers, such as a sweepstakes, are exciting and shareable incentives that spark loyalty program engagement and help you meet your loyalty goals like acquisition, onboarding, brand advocacy and more.
TGI Fridays Upgraded Its Loyalty Program
Listening to your customers is always the key to earning more customer loyalty. That’s exactly what officials at TGI Fridays did and why they upgraded its loyalty program.
A new and improved loyalty program helps customers enjoy their Fridays’ favorites more frequently, for less.
This streamlined loyalty program allows members to link their cell phone numbers to automatically earn a point for every dollar spent, without an app download or a registration process.
Here’s how it works:
- 75 Points: Receive any appetizer, kid’s meal, nonalcoholic beverage, or dessert for free
- 150 points: Receive any entree for free
A unique aspect of the revamped loyalty program is TGI Fridays is helping customers earn their first free reward even faster. Any guest who makes a purchase between May 12 and June 12 will receive 150 bonus points – enough to enjoy a free entree on their next visit.
Lindsay Eichten, Director of Loyalty, CRM, and Paid Media at TGI Fridays, explained: “With the revamped program, we are helping guests redeem rewards as often as possible, so they know they can always get a delicious deal and meal at Fridays.”
The ebbo 2023 Loyalty Amplifiers Data Study shows that 74% of consumers agree that loyalty program rewards often feel unattainable, they require making too many purchases, require too many points and take too long to earn.
If consumers feel that way, they will engage with your program less frequently. Offering more frequent rewards is a great way to increase member engagement.
Best Buy Unveiled Three My Best Buy Memberships
Best Buy unveiled three membership options — My Best Buy Memberships™ — that give customers more freedom to choose a membership that fits their technology needs, budget and lifestyle. One of these options includes a new tier, at a more affordable price, that offers exclusive prices and access to highly anticipated product releases.
The three memberships are: My Best Buy™, My Best Buy Plus™ and My Best Buy Total™. Each membership tier has a different set of benefits – ranging from members-only pricing and deals, access to exclusive sales and events, 24/7 tech support, product protection, free shipping and more – and at different price points, giving customers the ability to choose an option that best fits the convenience, value, support and protection they’re looking for.
Best Buy’s existing membership, Best Buy Totaltech™, launched nationwide in 2021 and helped shape the tiered My Best Buy Membership options.
As part of the launch of My Best Buy Memberships™ on June 27, Totaltech will transition to My Best Buy Total™. Current Totaltech members will receive an email in the coming months with more details. Members will be able to transition between the My Best Buy, My Best Buy Plus and My Best Buy Total tiers or cancel their membership at any time if their tech needs change.
My Best Buy™
Our free existing membership plan built for customers who want convenience. My Best Buy includes:
- Free shipping with no minimum purchase
- Access to purchase history, online order tracking and up-to-date shipping info
- Quick checkout, save items to keep an ongoing wish list of your favorite tech
My Best Buy Plus™
A membership plan built for customers who want value and access. For $49.99/year, My Best Buy Plus™ includes everything you get with My Best Buy, as well as:
- Exclusive member-only prices on thousands of items
- Exclusive access to sales, events and highly anticipated products
- Free 2-day shipping with no minimum purchase3
- Extended 60-day return and exchange window on most products
My Best Buy Total™
A membership plan built for customers who want protection and support. For 179.99/year, My Best Buy Total™ includes everything you get with My Best Buy Plus, as well as:
- Geek Squad® 24/7/365 tech support for all your tech—no matter where you bought it
- VIP priority support any time and access to specially trained team for advice, customer service and coordination via phone or chat
- Up to two years of product protection, including AppleCare+, on most new Best Buy purchases while you’re a member
- 20% off repairs
- Promotional service offers from time-to-time like discounted in-home installation and haul away
Current Totaltech members will continue to receive their existing membership benefits through the end of their renewal date.
Best Buy does a great job of offering tiered loyalty options here. According to our 2022 Premium Loyalty Data Study, 83% of consumers said they were likely to invest in a brand’s premium loyalty program if they already belong to that brand’s traditional loyalty program.
Incentivize Your Loyalty Program Members
When you incentivize your best customers, either through a loyalty program or a revamped one, or through a loyalty amplifier like a sweepstakes, you will see increased engagement.
We saw through the brand examples that offering loyalty program members more attainable rewards is important. And if you can offer a tiered loyalty program, you give members options and they can aspire to reach the highest level.
For more information on ways to amplify your loyalty program, check out our 2023 Customer Engagement Data Study and our 2023 Loyalty Amplifiers Data Study.
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ebbo helps brands achieve their customer loyalty goals with full-service, end-to-end solutions and also creates original educational content straight from the experts to help loyalty marketers stay on the cutting edge of customer engagement.