Retaining Customers with a Smart Loyalty Program

In a new episode of the Ecwid Ecommerce Show, we talk to Brent Spicer of Marsello. It is a loyalty, SMS, and email marketing platform for business owners. Brent shares his expertise on using loyalty programs to differentiate your store from competitors. His advice can help you make your customers become your number-one fans.

Tune in to the podcast to learn how unlocking customer data can help you create a smart loyalty program that automates your marketing efforts.

Unlocking Customer Data & Automating Campaigns

Marsello started as a loyalty program platform that unlocked customer data and researched purchasing habits. As the business grew, they started running automated email and SMS campaigns based on customer behavior.

Personalization is the Key

Brent stresses the significance of personalization in loyalty programs. Sending a generic newsletter to everyone might result in people unsubscribing. In contrast, personalized newsletters that suggest products based on a person’s previous purchases or browsing history increase engagement.

How to Smartly Personalize Campaigns

Creating the most effective personalized email depends on products and timing. Marsello uses AI-powered algorithms to provide specific product recommendations to particular customers based on their buying habits. Segments of customers are created based on the kind of products they have bought, grouping people who have bought similar products.

Timing is likewise critical. Businesses can use customer data to send reminders at the right time. For example, you can remind customers to update their running shoes a year after they purchased a pair from you.

How to Differentiate Your Loyalty Program

Loyalty programs can prompt communication with customers. They unlock data that enables businesses to run personalized campaigns.
Traditional cashback loyalty programs will not differentiate a business from its competitors. To attract attention, businesses need smarter loyalty programs that make customers feel special.

One way to achieve this is through a VIP tier system. The system should encourage customers to strive for higher levels and unlock exclusive rewards. As customers’ loyalty balance increases, they can unlock more valuable bonuses.

You can also provide exclusive access to limited edition products to VIP customers. By running a campaign for VIPs, businesses can offer loyal customers the chance to purchase products before they are available to the general public. You want to make customers feel valued, which increases their loyalty.

Use AI to Improve Loyalty Programs

Marsello improves its platform through AI implementation, which analyzes data to suggest ways to improve customer engagement. Using AI can lead to simple yet effective changes, from tweaking rewards to improving their effectiveness.

Many businesses view loyalty programs as margin killers. The secret is to use loyalty programs to create unique and specialized customer experiences. This approach builds customer loyalty and encourages them to choose your brand over competitors.

How to Treat LTV Customers

Customers with a high lifetime value (LTV) need to be treated differently from other customers. While sending out reminders and discount vouchers to inactive customers can encourage purchases, it won’t work as well for high LTV customers.

Providing money-can’t-buy experiences will make customers feel valued and special. By treating high LTV customers differently, businesses enhance their loyalty and encourage them to become brand advocates.

Gamification for Loyalty Programs

Gamification is a popular loyalty strategy. It provides customers with a sense of achievement. People love badges and digital recognition for reaching VIP tiers or other milestones in a loyalty program.

Marsello now implements more gamification features on the platform. For example, referring to customers by their VIP tier name and providing them with a badge when they log in. Gamification can make customers feel special.

Marketing Automation Powered by Loyalty Programs

Loyalty unlocks the potential of marketing automation. Once businesses have collected customer data through their loyalty program, they can set up triggers that automatically send targeted campaigns based on customers’ buying habits and preferences.

For example, after a customer has made a certain number of purchases of a particular product, they can be automatically sent a relevant campaign. Setting up this automation can take some effort. With Marsello’s help, businesses can streamline their marketing efforts and let them run in the background.

Marsello was made with smaller retailers in mind. As such, it integrates with point-of-sale systems. Many successful retailers have a physical presence as well. Marsello integrates with point-of-sales systems, making it easier for businesses to manage their loyalty programs across online and in-person channels.

Integrate Your Ecwid Store with Marsello

You can integrate Marsello with Ecwid by Lightspeed. First, find the Marsello app in the Ecwid App Market. The integration process from there is simple—just choose the integration and press a button to sync your data into Marcelo automatically. Start building your loyalty program and running marketing campaigns. Try out the platform for free for 14 days!