Keeping your best customers happy is key when it comes to your customer loyalty program — but how do you find them? Acquiring new members may seem like a daunting task at first, but with the five helpful tips in this post, you can increase enrollment, engage your customers and build stronger relationships with them.

1. Send targeted emails

Acquiring new members doesn’t mean that you have to start from scratch. Using an existing list of your customer email addresses is a great way to promote your customer loyalty program and encourage people to enroll.

Use targeted email campaigns to raise awareness about your customer loyalty program and explain the benefits of signing up. For example, at Thanx, we enable you to convert existing email subscribers from Constant Contact and MailChimp to become loyalty members. This makes it easy to use the data you already have and reach out to your customers via email to invite them to reap the benefits of your program.

When introducing your customer loyalty program, make sure to include all of the perks of becoming a member. Each email in the drip campaign should include different types of content that complement the others. For example, in your introductory email, provide an overview of the program; explain how it works, why it’s different, and what it includes.

The second email can include an offer like, “Enjoy $5 off your first meal when you sign up for our loyalty program.” Continue to introduce different selling points and make sure to personalize each email in order to increase engagement.

2. Promote on social media

Social media is an effective way to engage with current and potential customers. Get creative to raise awareness and encourage people to visit your business. For example, you could ask people to comment on a photo of their favorite meal at your restaurant and offer the winner free loyalty points once they enroll. Add a link to your customer loyalty program so that anyone who is reading the post can enroll.

You can also share offers to your social pages like, “Receive 25% off your next purchase when you enroll in our Loyalty Program today.” Add a branded photo to the post that explains the highlights of your program and why your followers should join.

Social media is an effective tool for acquiring new members because your followers aren’t the only ones who will be exposed to your posts. You can promote your posts to reach your target audiences. People whose friends and family engage with your content may also see what you are posting.

3. Ask the right questions at checkout

Spreading the word about your program on online channels is important, but there is nothing better than sharing your excitement with your customers in-person. Checkout is one of the most direct touch points you have with your customers and it’s a great way to personally engage with them.

Put your brand and your loyalty program in your customers’ hands by giving them promotional materials about your program and asking them the right questions when they are ready to make a purchase. For example, you can ask “Do you have any rewards to redeem today?” This is a subtle way of letting your customer know about your program. If they reply that they don’t have any rewards, you can explain how to sign up and let them know why it’s a good idea.

Another question you can ask is, “Are you a member of our loyalty program?” This is a more direct way of letting customers know about your program, and encourage them to enroll. The easier your enrollment process is, the better. You can even encourage customers to sign up on the spot at checkout.

4. Incentivize your current members

Your current members know just how awesome your customer loyalty program is. Use them as your ambassadors and incentivize them to spread the news with their family and friends. Implement a strong referral program to acquire new members.

For example, you can send targeted messages to your members saying, “If you refer a friend and they order a meal, you will receive a free appetizer during your next visit!” This encourages members to refer friends who will actually visit your business and join your loyalty program.

You can also send offers to customers who leave reviews on Yelp or other sites that promote your business. Many potential customers read reviews before they decide to visit – positive reviews can actually increase foot traffic to your store or restaurant.

5. Incentivize your employees

Your employees create experiences for your customers. They are at the forefront of building relationships and promoting your loyalty program in an authentic way. If they are passionate about your program, they will want to enroll as many members as they can.

One way to incentivize your employees to acquire new members is to create a contest. For example, tell your employees that the person who enrolls the most customers to join your loyalty program will receive a gift card/SPIFF/or item that they desire. When your employees are motivated, your customers will be too.

Wrap up

Acquiring new members isn’t hard. Once you have the best customer loyalty program in place, promote it the right way and encourage members to join. Spread the word to raise awareness.

Also, make sure to ask the right questions at checkout and incentivize your employees to enroll as many members as they can. Don’t forget about your best customers — they will encourage their friends and family to join if you get your loyalty program right.