So you’ve started a loyalty program. Now what?

Yes, loyalty programs are a great idea. Especially for restaurants (like yours). But coming up with interesting, consistent, and feasible rewards for customers? That’s not an easy process.

Fortunately for you, we’re here to help. Here’s five ways your restaurant can start rewarding your loyalty members, that also make sense for you.

Streak Rewards. Tracking streaks is a tactic almost as old as loyalty programs themselves. Hole-punch cards have been doing the job for ages. There’s a good reason for that. It just works. And it works especially well in the restaurant industry, with customers always looking for a good reason to grab their next bite to eat.

Reward Tiers. Not only do tiers incentivize repeat spending, they also introduce a wealth of new ways to reward loyalty members. For example, let’s say you have Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 tiers. Level 1 is where you start off. You get a few benefits just for joining. Something like preferred reservations that will encourage customers to sign up. At Level 2 and Level 3, they’ll get additional perks (e.g. one free appetizer a month, exclusive deals, etc.).

Double Points. Have a slow period in your restaurant? Most places tend to. That’s where your loyalty program comes in. If your program is running on a point system, trying a “Double Points” period can give business the extra kick it needs if ran during those less popular dayparts. Give it a shot and watch the customers roll in.

Referral Rewards. Need new customers? This is the way to do it. For every referral one of your loyalty members brings in, set them up with loyalty points or restaurant credit. It keeps current members involved while linking new customers directly into your loyalty program from the get-go.

Flash Surveys. Want to learn more about your customers? Running flash surveys for your loyalty members is a great way to improve your services while engaging your audience. You can encourage them to answer by giving respondents the chance to win a reward. Something like a free appetizer, $10 gift card, etc.

Digital Loyalty With CoGoBuzz

Ready to ditch the hole-punch cards? Take your restaurant’s loyalty program fully digital with CoGoBuzz. Our affordable service leverages WiFi, SMS, and Email solutions to not only build your loyalty program, but engage with members to keep them constantly coming back for more. CoGoBuzz is fully loaded with an advanced text-based loyalty program. No app required! Simplify customer engagement down to a single text message. It’s that easy. Run flash surveys, send rewards instantly, and more.

On top of that, CoGoBuzz comes set with an array of intuitive features. Leveraging your restaurant’s in-store WiFi, we’ll get you more Facebook followers automatically. Because customers login through WiFi with their Facebook profile, email, or phone number, we even produce fully realized customer profiles. Check out the rest of our website to learn more!

Does your restaurant do anything unique or interesting to reward loyalty members? Let us know in the comments!