Do you offer a loyalty program?

msf

Do you offer a loyalty program? If so, what are the details?

This is something im considering doing, and attaching it to a gift card.

Im just not sure what sort of details it will have. Perhaps something like 100 points for every dollar spent, and then they can redeem the points for certain photographic services later. Just havent figured out the exchange rate. Like a free 8x10 print for 200,000 points. Or make it 1 point for every dollar spent, and a free 8x10 for every 200 points.

Back in Canada I always wondered why Club Z had such high point values, I always wondered why not make it 1 point for every $1 instead of 100. But does the points "look" better if they are higher?

indiegirl

Something about this just throws me off. It seems contrived to me.

I focus my attention on building customers who come back because I provide a service they can't get anywhere else. My loyalty program is attention to detail and to making each of my clients feel like they are well taken care of.

I mean no disrespect, really! I don't! I worked for a studio (sales) for years and they had a five-year plan. One 8x10 per sitting for ten sittings. 50% off the portrait price list. It served them well. They dealt in both quality and quantity. As a small business owner, I choose to focus my attention on quality. I can't match a large studio's quantity. So, I charge more. I also concentrate on relationship, which the larger company can't afford...

Best of luck!

chrisjohnson

indiegirl wrote: »

Something about this just throws me off. It seems contrived to me.

I focus my attention on building customers who come back because I provide a service they can't get anywhere else. My loyalty program is attention to detail and to making each of my clients feel like they are well taken care of.

I mean no disrespect, really! I don't! I worked for a studio (sales) for years and they had a five-year plan. One 8x10 per sitting for ten sittings. 50% off the portrait price list. It served them well. They dealt in both quality and quantity. As a small business owner, I choose to focus my attention on quality. I can't match a large studio's quantity. So, I charge more. I also concentrate on relationship, which the larger company can't afford...

Best of luck!

I empathize 100%. However, you would be surprised by the number of high income families in which the shopper spends time clipping coupons to use in the supermarket. In my personal opinion this is extremely disturbed behavior but it does seem to appeal to a significant segment. As you say of your studio program, "It served them well". What works for big business MAY work for small businesses too - everybody likes a discount.

PhoenixOrion

msf wrote: »

Do you offer a loyalty program? If so, what are the details?

This is something im considering doing, and attaching it to a gift card.

Im just not sure what sort of details it will have. Perhaps something like 100 points for every dollar spent, and then they can redeem the points for certain photographic services later. Just havent figured out the exchange rate. Like a free 8x10 print for 200,000 points. Or make it 1 point for every dollar spent, and a free 8x10 for every 200 points.

Back in Canada I always wondered why Club Z had such high point values, I always wondered why not make it 1 point for every $1 instead of 100. But does the points "look" better if they are higher?

A local coffee shop gives new customers a card that the clerk hole-punches with each purchase. After so many punches, the customer gets something free (can't remember what it is).

I thought that was a pretty cool idea. Seems the shop doesn't have to keep track of it for the most part and it's the customer's responsibility to remember to get it punched each time. The incentive is obviously the free thing at the end, then it starts all over again.

Still trying to figure out how to make something like that work with photography. lol

msf

But it would be easy to fake the hole punches and get free stuff almost every visit. At least with subway you had to use their special stickers.

Art Scott

msf wrote: »

But it would be easy to fake the hole punches and get free stuff almost every visit. At least with subway you had to use their special stickers.

99.9% of the companies utilizing the hole puch method have moved away from the common round hole punch that almost all grade schooers wind up with found at wal mart for 99¢.....

Now they go get a custom or specialty punch, found at teacher supply stores..stars, hearts, mushrooms.....etc....etc....etc those run (at least here) around $30 each........that buys lots of coffee or burgers and such....plus the common person doesn't know where to get them................

msf

Well thats true, but I think they can be found in scrapbooking stores to, or online. And a portrait session or free 8x10 print is a bit more expensive than a cup of coffee, so those that scrapbook *seems to be a large number* may make the investment to buy a special hole punch to get a free 8x10 each time they come in. Its paid for itself on the 2nd use.

Im just being paranoid.

msf

I was just in an art store, not michaels. They had the heart hole punch, and a few other shapes, for $3.99.

edit > now to find some coffee shops with loyalty programs that uses a star or heart hole punch!!! jk

PhoenixOrion

I didn't consider that. Just seemed like a cool idea and fairly easy for all involved. Don't need to complicate things more than they already are in business but you have a point. On to the next idea.

msf

Well I printed up 1000 business cards, for the gift certificates / loyalty program. Hopefully they will arrive before the county fair. : ) I got 1000 becuase it was only $1 more to go from 250 to 500, and $3 more to go from 500 to 1000. I figured for $4 why not get x4 the cards. shipping was flat.

Im going to offer a special for the county fair. Purchase a gift card *not sure on the value yet* and receive a coupon for $$$ off, but the coupon will be the same value as the sitting fee, and the coupon will be marked that its not compatible with other special promotions, including free sitting fee's.

Im still trying to decide how much I should try to sell the gift cards for, that includes the coupon. To little and its not really worth my time, to much and people may not buy it.

things to decide, fun fun.