Why is WhatsApp a relevant channel for your loyalty program?
Unlike SMS, which is a mass-marketing channel, WhatsApp stands out as a privileged, personalized way to communicate, designed to nurture quality relationships with your best customers. On WhatsApp, the golden rule is: low frequency, high relevance.
And what could be more relevant than highlighting your loyalty program to engage your most valuable customers and encourage them to take an active part in it?
How does WhatsApp fit into a loyalty program?
A loyalty program usually relies on 3 key building blocks:
Recruiting members into the loyalty program
Completing "missions" to earn loyalty points
Encouraging members to use the points they've earned
Recruit your customers into your loyalty program
When you create a loyalty program, there are two possible scenarios:
1. All your customers automatically become members as soon as they make a purchase.
Main goal: make your customers aware of your loyalty program.
Recommended strategies: mention the loyalty program in your post-purchase automations (order tracking link, post-purchase NPS, etc.), highlighting the program's benefits and suggesting a first mission that already earns them a first reward.
2. Customers must sign up to the loyalty program to join it.
Main goal: recruit members for your loyalty program.
Recommended strategies:
Mention the loyalty program in your post-purchase automations to invite customers to join (tracking link, NPS, referral)
Launch a WhatsApp recruitment campaign to encourage your most loyal customers who aren't members yet to join the program.
Encourage points collection with missions
Use WhatsApp to drive mission completion in your loyalty program. Here are a few campaign and automation examples:
WhatsApp campaign to drive app downloads
Use personalized messages to encourage customers to download your app and discover exclusive perks.
Email campaign to join the WhatsApp Club (WhatsApp loyalty mission)
Invite customers to join your WhatsApp Club to receive special offers and real-time updates.
Campaign to enable push notifications
Encourage users to turn on push notifications to stay up to date with your latest promotions and events.
Automation to encourage referrals
Send automated messages to your members to encourage them to refer their friends and earn rewards.
Automation to request reviews
Ask customers to leave reviews on Trustpilot (or another review platform) or on the product pages of items they bought, in exchange for loyalty points or other perks.
Encourage points redemption to maximize LTV
Once customers have earned loyalty points, the goal is to get them to spend them, to drive purchases and let them fully enjoy the exclusive perks earned through your missions. These WhatsApp automations are especially effective:
Birthday automation
On their birthday, send a personalized message with an exclusive offer they can use with their loyalty points. A special touch that strengthens attachment to your brand and drives purchases.
Points expiry automation
Remind customers that their points are about to expire to create a sense of urgency and encourage them to order.
Tier upgrade automation
Let customers know when they reach a new loyalty tier, highlighting the new perks they now have access to. Use the moment to encourage them to order and make the most of their rewards.
"Surprise for a purchase in the next few hours" automation
Create a sense of urgency and exclusivity by offering a surprise reward to customers who make a purchase within a limited time. A powerful lever to drive immediate purchases and energize your loyalty program.