How to Promote Your Unique In-Store Loyalty Programs

You have a lot to offer, but do your customers know that?

Your unique selection of loyalty programs allows you to offer deals on premium pet foods and sought-after products that no one else can match. This provides great value to your customers and helps you increase traffic in your store, but first things first — you have to spread awareness. 

Keep reading to learn about three techniques you can use to promote your in-store loyalty programs and get people coming back time and time again to spoil their pets!

Proper Signage

Putting up signs in your store is a textbook way of promoting. Signs help introduce people to your loyalty programs while they peruse the aisles or stand in line to check out. This passive method of promotion is essential, as it gets people thinking about the value you can provide them before they even make their first purchase. 

You don't have to limit your signage to walls and aisle endcaps — any and all signage will help you grab customers' attention and plant a seed of interest. This can include putting out flyers, having a fun chalkboard sign out front, displaying large shelf-talkers near-certain pet foods and products, and posting information at the registers.

At AstroLoyalty, we even have a merchandising kit you can download to help with all of your signage needs.

Get Your Team Talking

Having team members that are properly educated about the programs you offer ensures that customers can get the information they need out on the sales floor and during checkout. Not only should employees be knowledgeable about the ins and outs of your loyalty programs, but they should know how to talk to customers about them in a promotional, friendly, and helpful way.

In the event that a customer really isn't in the mood to talk, well-placed signage can work its magic as they select their items, and the cashier can offer them an informational flyer during their purchase. Not every customer loves to stop and chat, but there's no escaping interaction at the register!

Keep In Contact

Consistent and repetitive exposure is necessary when promoting anything to a consumer, whether that be a product, a limited-time deal, a Frequent Buyer program, or your business as a whole. As an indie pet store, you'll likely be doing this through two methods: social media posts and emails. Your Astro Marketing Suite can help simplify and expedite both!

Don't Neglect Social Media

Though in-store promotion might seem more effective, growing interest from a distance is never a bad thing. If you've just added a new loyalty program to your roster or want to remind your audience about the great programs you already have, make a post on social media! This allows customers to easily scroll through their phones and learn about great opportunities to save money and pamper their pets. 

Check out some of the cool Instagram Posts your fellow Astro Retailers have made, and these are just what we have been tagged on directly. Astro Social makes it incredibly easy to post images related to your store's Astro Offers, Frequent Buyer, and Sharing the Love programs, as well as any other event you wish to promote. 

Email Reminders

Another medium you can use to share important news about your loyalty programs is email. Many people may not open their emails, but they do scroll through and see the name of the sender and the subject line. Sending emails consistently is a great way to make customers more familiar with you, your programs, and the value you offer. 

For people that are already a part of your loyalty programs, emails about their "punch card" status can help encourage them to come in and continue making purchases. If a customer is only a few purchases away from getting a free bag of their favorite dog food, a quick email reminder can drive them through the door. And guess what, your Astro Marketing Suite has the tools you need to make this happen!

The Astro Recipient List Generator paired with Astro Campaigns is the premier dynamic duo. With the List Generator you can communicate with customers who are anywhere from a handful of punches away from earning a free good, to those who have already earned a free good and may not know about it. It's a game changer!

Customers can't take advantage of the programs you offer if they don't know about them! Staying on top of promoting your in-store loyalty programs ensures that customers get the full value out of shopping at your store. 

To get an easy start on signage as an Astro Loyalty Member, download a merchandising kit to promote the Frequent Buyer Program. Combined with the top-notch service from your team members and your consistent virtual reminders, you'll be an unstoppable promotional force!