You’ve got your loyalty program in place and your clients are loving it. Now it’s time to leverage your program to drive revenue and increase compliance. Here are a few ways to do that.
Tiered rewards
Let’s say that you currently reward clients with one loyalty stamp for every $100 spent per invoice and you offer them a $100 credit toward a future visit once they’ve collected 16 stamps. With a tiered reward program, this still stands, but you can also offer a few interim redemption options. Here is one example:
- 3 stamps = free nail trim
- 8 stamps = $50 dental gift certificate
- 16 stamps = $100 credit for a future visit
Your program doesn’t have to be exactly the same. You might allow your clients to cash in just two stamps for a free nail trim. Or instead of a nail trim, you might give away a bag of treats. Consider asking one of your vendors to provide sample bags for the treat giveaways.
Keep in mind that the $50 dental gift certificate is not a $50 discount. It’s a gift certificate that is only good for a dental cleaning. Many practices like this reward because it encourages clients to do something that keeps their pets healthy and it’s good for the practice revenue-wise.
Earning sprints and seasonal promotions
Unlike marathon-style promotional programs that are designed to run for a year but tend to fizzle out after a couple of months, earning sprints and seasonal promotions alternate throughout the year. They typically run for one to two months each and are a great way to keep your loyalty program fresh and in the forefront of your team’s mind. The example below shows that you would offer your clients a free loyalty stamp one month for performing a specific task, take the next month off, and then repeat.
- February: purchase any dental product
- April: purchase a 12-month supply of parasite prevention
- June: post a review on Facebook, Google, or Yelp
- August: get your pet microchipped
- October: submit a selfie of your pet wearing a Halloween costume (great social media content!)
- December: donate to your practice’s charity of choice
Giving back to your community
One practice in Colorado used to run a loyalty program promotion every November to benefit their local soup kitchen. Clients were rewarded with a stamp in exchange for donating at least one non-perishable item. A collection bin was placed in the front lobby, and the soup kitchen stopped by each week to pick up the donations. Although there was no financial benefit for the practice, the promotion was a huge success — it was great PR, clients felt good about supporting the cause, and they were delighted to get their free stamp.
What are some things that you want to do better at this year? Maybe it’s improve compliance or increase your social media presence. Consider how you might leverage your loyalty program to achieve some of your veterinary practice goals.
