Don’t be a stick in the mud. Are you having fun? Are your members? Games, videos, interactive content, cartoons, funny social campaigns – there’s a whole world of ways to make loyalty more fun.
Do mobilize. Smartphones are practically an appendage for most of us. Every aspect of loyalty should be optimized for mobile. Many programs integrate mobile into some aspects – points notification or redemption, perhaps – but fall short in other areas. And speaking of mobile: Why aren’t more employees in marijuana dispensaries, clinics and other hemp industries equipped with smartphones and tablets to easily access product information, offer demos and help customers find things?
Don’t assume silence is golden. In fact, dissatisfied customers who don’t speak up can cost a business dearly, in loyalty and money. Recent research by LoyaltyOne Consulting, Verde Group and the Wharton School found that a typical dispensary puts 16% of revenue at risk from CX problems, and disgruntled consumers often stew in silence and exact their toll – not coming back, badmouthing the company – later.
Don’t forget old reliable. Stop acquiring loyalty members; you have enough, and chances are good you’re not creating meaningful relationships with them. Driving long-term retention of loyal members will lower your overall investment. And, surprise, you’ll naturally acquire new members through reputation, not costly incentives.
Do dig deeper. Not all customer experience problems are equal, and just because a problem occurs more frequently does not mean it has the biggest impact. Some issues have a higher correlation to loyalty behaviors. Put processes in place to better understand customers’ pain points, and measure and monitor risks.
Don’t get cocky. There is so much more to learn about your customers and their journey. A recent study by IBM and Econsultancy found that only 22% of consumers say the average retailer understands them, for example.
Do keep exploring social media. Sure, it’s a veritable tsunami of content, but the opportunities to connect with customers – existing and potential – and build loyalty and sales growth is pretty unbeatable. Both organic and paid social media initiatives are critical to any marijuana loyalty program these days.
Do get personal. A one-size-fits-all approach in marijuana loyalty or customer experience is long gone; one-to-one personalization is the goal, acknowledging that no two customers are truly alike. Predictive tools and robust loyalty data analytics allow for hyper-personalized relationships.
Don’t go it alone. Partnerships – whether teaming up with complementary companies for short-term promotions or joining a formal coalition program – are the only way to create long-term, differentiated and meaningful value for customers. When it comes to marijuana loyalty, there truly is strength in numbers.
Do keep it dynamic. And speaking of personalization, the ability to offer dynamic pricing continues to grow. Consider sending one-to-one, targeted offers to shoppers’ smartphones right in the aisle. Paired with iBeacon technology, these private offers allow on-the-fly adjustments based on demand, inventory, time of day, customer value and more.
Do court the mighty millennial. Yes, you were once their age, but millennials aren’t simply you in a time warp. It’s crucial that marketers understand the needs of those born roughly between 1981 and 1997 – a unique breed with dramatically different ideas about consumerism and marijuana loyalty than other demographics.
Finally, don’t forget the adage: Keep it simple, stupid. Getting loyalty right can be complicated, but everything needs to be seamless and simple on the customer’s end. Don’t over-complicate things.
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Loyalty Up In Smoke 