Rules of thumb
- Reachable in a month. Eight coffees, six haircuts, ten classes. A reward that takes a year is forgotten.
- One sentence. "Collect 8 stamps, the ninth coffee is free." If staff cannot say it, customers will not remember it.
- Your product, not a discount. A free drink costs you the ingredients and feels like a gift; 10% off costs you margin and feels like a sale.
- One tier of surprise. A birthday treat or a Gold perk that is not advertised gets talked about.
By business
| Business | Card | Reward that works |
|---|---|---|
| Café | Stamps | 8 stamps, free drink; a daily nearby line |
| Bakery | Stamps | 6 stamps, a free loaf at the weekend |
| Restaurant | Points, tiers | £10 off at 1,000 points; Gold gets dessert |
| Takeaway | Coupon, points | £3 off the first direct order; points on direct orders only |
| Barber | Stamps | 10th cut free; push after five quiet weeks |
| Hair salon | Points, tiers | Tiers for colour clients; birthday treat |
| Nail bar | Stamps, visit pass | 6th treatment free; a pass that counts down, coming |
| Gym, studio | Membership, visit pass | Active status; 10 classes counted down on the card, coming |
| Retail | Points, coupon | £5 off at 500; first-visit coupon at markets |
| Car wash | Membership, stamps | Unlimited plan; 6th wash free |
| Dry cleaner | Stamps | 6th order free; ready-for-collection update |
| Florist | Coupon, points | 20% off the first bouquet; a push before the big dates |
Rewards that fail
- Twenty stamps for anything. Nobody gets there.
- Rewards that need a manager's approval. The till queue decides.
- Rewards hidden in terms. Put the reward on the front of the card.
- Changing the reward every month. Customers plan around it; let them.
Pick one on the call
Tell us what you sell and what you give away today.