4 Ways to Leverage Customer Loyalty Rewards Programs During the Annual Post-Holiday Sales Slump

The holidays are upon us, but the joy and excitement is dimmed a little for retailers, who know that after the high comes the low of the post-holiday sales slump.

While estimated holiday retail shopping by EOY 2021 is $1.147 trillion, it’s all too easy for brands to lose sight of the importance of customer experience once the holiday season has come and gone. Customer loyalty programs are perfect for boosting revenues in January and beyond, but you have to take the right approach and understand your customers psychologically.

Post-Holiday Spending Guilt Is Real – Exploit It!

Traditionally, retail spending takes a dive after Christmas sales as people see credit card bills coming due and promise to be more financially responsible. So they tighten their belts, resolve to save money, and feel good about purchasing through your loyalty program.

Some retailers may find it difficult to launch new campaigns in January. Once the holiday season is over, all of that large marketing money spent on attracting and maintaining clients to boost sales in November and December will be gone. So what will give you the best bang for your marketing buck? Focusing on your most loyal customers, of course.

4 Ways to Keep Customer Loyalty On Track in 2022

Stay connected with your customers

Use your customer loyalty program’s capabilities to keep customers engaged and active through carefully curated touchpoints and opportunities. Connect across different channels (in-app messaging, email) to keep the interest alive.

A study of 46,000 shoppers showed that customers who used 4+ channels spent 9% more in the store, on average, when compared to those who used just one channel. So by spreading your net wide, you can increase brand awareness and stickiness and customer retention during a time of year that typically sees a slowdown.

Support good spending habits

Use messaging that connects smart spending with saving — which customers can do if they are part of your loyalty rewards program! Around 95% of customers say trusting a company increases their loyalty, and 91% say their trust in a company makes them more likely to buy more frequently.

If your customers trust you and tell them you will help them spend smarter, they will believe you. So focus on messaging that reiterates how much they will save by staying active in your rewards program and keep this message consistent across all platforms and campaigns.

Tap into those New Year’s resolutions

If your brand supports common resolutions, leverage that in your customer rewards program by providing actions that customers can take that make them feel they are contributing towards that goal and rewards that also help support their mission. Consider after-Christmas holiday sales that focus on products that hit typical pain points, like health, fitness, and fiscal responsibility.

The failure rate for New Year’s resolutions is about 80%, and most lose their resolve by mid-February. Offering to help customers keep their resolutions can be a way to increase brand loyalty and participation in your rewards program. However, don’t stop there.

While you should make sure to congratulate your customers when they step up and do something good for themselves, if they quit, you don’t want them to feel judged. So make sure you tailor your program to prompt a feel-good reaction from customers even when they may fail at their New Year’s resolutions. Be ready to give them something else to focus on that prompts them to continue their journey with your brand.

Have a special rewards promotion in January

Spending spiked in January 2021 thanks to government stimulus checks in the United States, but typically January is a slow month for sales and a higher one for returns. However, you can find ways to leverage your best customers into coming back and spending more even during the holiday slump.

Odds are, customers using your loyalty rewards program racked up points with holiday spending. So offer to help them capitalize by providing extra perks like a free shipping coupon on purchases over $50 placed by January 31st.

How a Digital Loyalty Marketing Platform Can Help

How do you keep customers engaged with your brand in the post-Christmas sales slump? It’s crucial to prioritize customer experience through interaction even after the holidays are over. It’s never a bad time to work on your customer engagement methods, and while your competitors are slacking is a great opportunity.

The Perx Loyalty and Engagement Platform (LMP) makes it easier to maintain contact with customers after Christmas holiday sales are over by keeping the journey going through high-quality interactions and high-value rewards.

One of the newest features on Perx Platform is the ability to build and launch time-bound campaigns. So instead of simply having a 9-5 presence, your brand can precisely target consumers on a specific day, for a specific duration (or even during multiple time slots) on any given day of the week.

Find out when your most loyal customers are most eager to make a purchase and develop customized journeys for them that culminate in a reward that can be redeemed inside a tight window to create a sense of urgency and excitement. Target off-peak times, peak times, and any other time.

Using time-bound campaigns in January or any other time creates a lifestyle experience of engaging with your brand that can lead to even more trust and future engagement. Your customers are always “on”, and you too can be “on” and present for them with personalized micro-experiences that delight them and gamification that draws them in and keeps them constantly and consistently engaged.

Ready to start leveraging gamification and rewards to drive customer engagement in the months to come? Watch our video now to learn how Perx can help your brand barrel into the new year without missing a step.