January 17, 2020 0 Comments Business, Tech

Why Customer Incentives Are So Important to Online Businesses

Whatever type of online business you run, you need to stand out from the crowd and give your customers a good reason to visit your websites.

In basic terms, that means offering a great product or service that is in demand. But with so much competition out there, it also means going above and beyond to make your customers feel special. This can be difficult, especially online where there is little real-world interaction.

One thing that you can do is offer your customers a good incentive to do business with you. Once they are on board, you can then wow them with the other benefits of your business and retain them as a long-term customer.

Rewarding loyalty

Incentives can take many different forms. For example, offline businesses such as coffee shops love to give out loyalty cards that are stamped every time you order a cup of coffee. Once the card is full, you get a reward such as a free cup of coffee. You may also come across these in hairdressers or beauty salons. Of course, these cards are only useful if the customer enjoys the coffee or haircut that you are providing and the rewards have to be worth the effort put in. But similar practices can be implemented by online businesses to reward customer loyalty.

Sign-up bonuses

Online casinos and bookmakers like to offer free bets or spins to new customers who sign-up – although there are sometimes certain conditions that must be met before customers can access any winnings earned from free bets. Some companies’ offers are better than others. For example, Leo Vegas is easily one of the most popular sites, famous for their generous bonuses and offers and their excellent mobile app. Many wagering businesses also offer loyalty programs such as VIP clubs and ongoing incentives to keep customers coming back.

Trials, discount codes and partnerships

Free trials are another good way to get customers on board. By letting them have access to your key product or service for a limited period, you can convince them that it is of benefit to them and is worth paying for in the long-term. Further incentives, such as discount codes, can be offered to get them to sign up to newsletters. Once they have signed up, ongoing incentives and offers can be sent directly to their inbox. You can even offer them birthday gifts and seasonal offers via monthly or weekly emails.

Beyond that, you can team up with other businesses to create cross-business promotional offers and shared discounts. Partnering with other established brands also adds credibility to your business.

Outside the box

Getting customers excited about your product or service sometimes means getting a little creative. You can look at what other companies are doing but try to add your own unique twist to your promotion. Think about how Toms’ online shoe shop decided to make charity the focus of their loyalty program by donating a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. Other businesses such as MADI Apparel have since been inspired to do something similar, donating underwear to those who need it for every item sold. Here, the incentive is to give something to others rather than reward a customer directly.

So, take inspiration from others, or come up with your own ideas. Just make sure that your customers are impressed enough by your incentives and offers to keep coming back.