Selecting the best customer loyalty programs for small businesses is crucial for long-term success, as it encourages repeat customers. The best loyalty rewards bring in an extra 15 to 25 percent annually. But, creating a good reward program might be hard and cost money.

Don’t worry – This article lists 5 affordable marketing solutions for small businesses and easy-to-implement rewards loyalty programs. We’ll discuss their features, advantages, and prices to help you pick the right program to build a loyal client base and grow your company.

4 Key Criteria To Choose The Best Customer Loyalty Programs For Small Business

While choosing the best customer loyalty programs for small businesses can be challenging, there’s no need to stress. We’ve come up with 4 important factors that will help you find the best small business customer reward programs:

1. Essential Features

Imagine constructing a fantastic loyalty program clubhouse for your consumers. For everyone to be pleased and return, you need three crucial characteristics to make it the best club ever:

• Point & Reward System: Create a point-based loyalty programs for small businesses where customers earn points for purchases and redeem them for rewards like discounts or free gifts.
• Referral Program: The referral program ideas for small businesses encourage customer acquisition by rewarding existing customers for referring new ones.

VIP Tiers: Motivate repeat business with tiered loyalty programs. Offer exclusive rewards like early sale access and free shipping to your most valuable customers.

2. Cost-Effectiveness

Getting a new customer costs 5–25 times more than keeping an old one. That is why loyalty programs can be a great investment, but you should consider about pricing plans.

Most reward program builders have different price plans with different sets of features and functions. So, pick cheap customer loyalty programs with the features you need to reach your goals that don’t break the bank.

As a small business, you should also think about ROI (Return On Investment) over the long run. There may be some upfront costs, but a well-designed program can help keep customers longer, get them to buy from you again, and eventually make you more money. 

We will recommend cost-effective customer loyalty programs in the next part; keep reading to find more.

3. Ease Of Implementation

You don’t need a tech degree to run a loyalty program. You just need to look for a user-friendly Interface.

The best customer loyalty programs for small businesses should be easy to set up and manage, even if you’re not super tech-savvy. 

So, choose a program builder with clear instructions, tutorials, and excellent customer service to help you set up and answer issues.

4. Customization Capabilities

Your loyalty program should reflect your brand and resonate with your customers. Here’s what to consider: 

• Branding: Ensure your program reflects your brand identity by customizing the look and feel of your logos, colors, and fonts.
• Earning Rules: Designate how customers earn rewards. This includes options like fixed points per purchase, point increments based on purchase value, points for specific actions (e.g., reviews), and setting selected collections or products to trigger points.
• Redemption Rules: Define how customers redeem their rewards. You can set minimum purchase requirements, limit maximum discounts, and allow redemptions for free shipping or exclusive products.

This creates a cohesive experience for your customers and helps them recognize it as part of your brand.

Top 5 Affordable Customer Shopify Loyalty Programs

This part unveils the top 5 mobile app rewards programs for small businesses that are seamlessly integrated with Shopify. These programs offer user-friendly features, diverse reward options, and budget-conscious pricing structures, making them ideal for small businesses seeking to build lasting customer relationships and drive repeat purchases.

#1 BON Loyalty: Customizable and Shopify-Compatible

Having trouble turning one-time Shopify visitors into repeat buyers? No need to look any further than BON Loyalty – the top-recommended Shopify app providing customer loyalty program for small businesses. This customer loyalty program builder is an all-in-one reward program to get customers more involved with your small e-commerce business and get them to buy from you again.

Highlight features:

• Reward Online & In-Store Customers: Motivate repeat purchases by offering points for both online and POS transactions.
• Flexible Rewards: Create fully-customized rewards with expiry dates and the option to combine them with other discounts.
• Multilingual Support: Showcase your loyalty program and engage a global audience with support for over 250 languages in loyalty widgets and automated emails.
• Advanced Features & Affordability: Access advanced features like a dedicated loyalty program page, point expiration settings, and VIP tiers – all at competitive prices.
• Seamless Shopify Integration: Ensure fast page speed with smooth integration into your existing Shopify store.

Pricing: The BON Loyalty Program & Rewards is free to use forever and the best loyalty program app for small businesses (under $30/month).

#2 Smile.io: User-Friendly with Diverse Reward Options

Smile.io is a top contender for the best customer loyalty programs for small businesses. It is a strong loyalty program tool with an easy-to-use layout and a wide range of reward options. But it’s important to remember that its prices are higher than those of some competitors.

Here’s what Smile.io offers:

• Highly Customizable: Make the launcher for awards, the panel, and the email alerts look exactly how you want them to match your brand.
• Guest Points: Engage even guest shoppers by allowing them to earn points and convert them into loyal customers.
• Multilingual Support: Reach a wider audience by auto-translating your program into one of 6 preset languages.

Pricing: If you want to use more of Smile.io’s services, you have to pay for a subscription from $49/month.

#3 Stamped Loyalty: Effective for Building Customer Trust

Stamped loyalty app has a unique way of keeping customers coming back by using the power of user-generated content (UGC) and customer reviews. The fact that it does this makes it perfect for companies that want to build trust and a good name online.

Here’s how Stamped.io empowers businesses to build trust and loyalty:

• UGC (User-Generated Content) Powerhouse: It goes beyond basic loyalty programs. It excels at leveraging customer reviews, photo & video reviews, and community Q&A to build trust and social proof. This is particularly valuable for businesses where trust is critical, such as those selling new or unfamiliar products.
• AI-Powered Personalization: Stamped.io utilizes AI to personalize the loyalty experience for each customer. This can include customized reward programs, targeted offers, and relevant product recommendations, leading to higher engagement and customer satisfaction.
• Seamless Integration: Stamped.io integrates seamlessly with various platforms, including Shopify, making it easy to set up and manage your loyalty program alongside your existing sales channels.

Pricing: After installing Stamped.io, you can use it for free. But if you want more features, you have to pay extra from the $59/month.

#4 LoyaltyLion: Advanced Features with Flexible Pricing

LoyaltyLion stands out because it has powerful features and prices that can be changed. This is a great choice if a small business wants a rewards program with advanced benefits.

It might not have the best style (UI/UX) compared to other choices, but the price and perks could compensate for that for some companies.

Here’s what LoyaltyLion offers:

• Loyalty Page Integration: Make things easier for your customers by adding a loyalty page that they can change right to your website.
• Diverse reward types: Use points, discounts, and special access to goods and events as prizes to get people to buy from you again and join your program.
• Engagement Tools: Drive program enrollment and engagement through targeted loyalty emails and notifications.
• Customer Insights: Loyalty groups give you useful information about how customers behave, which lets you craft strategies for keeping customers.

Pricing: LoyaltyLion is free to use once it’s set up, but you have to pay for one of three packages each month to add features from $159/month.

#5: Yotpo: Integrating Loyalty with User-Generated Content

There’s something special about Yotpo that makes people want to come back. It brings together award programs and user-generated content (UGC) to make the experience more real and interactive for users. This process can work especially well for businesses that want to connect with their customers and get to know them better.

Here’s what sets Yotpo apart:

• Combines UGC and Loyalty: You can earn points and prizes for more than just making purchases. You can also get them for writing reviews and pictures and interacting on social media, which makes the experience more complete.
• Quick Launch and Easy Management: You can run your program quickly and easily without knowing how to code.
• Different Levels and Rewards: Use different levels and rewards to keep customers motivated based on points, spending, sales, or referrals.
• Detailed Analytics: Learn important things about how customers act and how well your programs work to make your plan work better and have a bigger effect.

Pricing: Yotpo is free to install, but to get more features, you need to pay $199 a month for Gold.

3 Steps For Successful Implementation Of Your Chosen Loyalty Program

Choosing the best customer loyalty programs for small business is just the first step. Here’s how to ensure a successful implementation and maximize its impact on your business:

Step 1: Customize And Integrate The Program

Imagine that your reward program is as special and warm as the front of your shop. This step is all about making the program fit your business and making sure it works well with the tools you already have in place.

Think of your program as a new team member. Give it a name, logo, and colors that match your brand’s personality. This creates a cohesive experience for your customers and helps them instantly recognize it as part of your business.

Read more: 50 Loyalty Program Name Ideas To Keep Customers Stay

Such as, McDonald’s is a big fast food chain. They call it “MyMcDonald’s Rewards” and use their red and yellow cup and smiley face logo. Customers can tell right away that it’s McDonald’s and always have the same experience. 

Also, don’t use generic messaging. Craft your program’s welcome message, reward descriptions, and other communication using language and tone that reflects your brand voice. This makes the program feel more authentic and personal.
Instead of just saying “Welcome to the program!” MyMcDonald Rewards says “Deliciousness At Your Fingertips”. This makes the show seem more real and closer to home.

Finally, make sure it integrates with your POS or e-commerce systems for in-store and online purchases. You save time and prevent manual data input by automatically transferring client information and points.

Step 2: Educate And Promote Effectively

In this step, you’ll give your team more freedom and use a variety of marketing tools to get people interested in your program.

First is to equip your staff with the knowledge and tools they need to be program champions. Provide them with thorough training on the program’s features, benefits, and enrollment process. Encourage them to answer customer questions and highlight the program’s value proposition.

Second, scream it from the rooftops (or social media). Market your show via several platforms to generate enthusiasm. This may include:

• Social media campaigns: Share interesting posts that show how the program can help people and feature customer success stories.
• Email blasts: Use focused email efforts to let current customers know about the program and give them extra points for signing up early.
• In-store promotions: Use bright signs, displays, and speeches in your shops to get people’s attention and get them to sign up for your program.
• Website integration: Make the program stand out on your website by giving it its own home pages and making the information easy to find.

One example is that Sephora’s “Beauty Insider” program can be used in more than one way. To sell on social media, they hire pretty queens. They send letters with deals based on what you’ve bought before, and it’s easy to find out about their programs on their website and in their stores.

Step 3: Monitor, Analyze, And Adapt

In this last step, you’ll keep an eye on how well your program is doing, look at data from customers, and make changes as needed to make sure it stays useful and effective over time.

Some of the things that could be included are the rates of registration and refund, the level of customer interest, and the effect on return orders. Tools like Google Analytics or tools that come with programs can give you useful information.

Not only should you gather info, but you should also use it. Look at the information you’ve gathered from different places, like customer polls, buy history, and figures on how the program is used. This tells you what needs to be changed and what is going well.

Don’t forget that your program is not a fixed thing. You can make sure your program stays a loyal leader in the long run by being flexible and responsive to market trends and customer needs. Example: Based on what customers say and data analysis, Starbucks may add new ways to earn stars, offer limited-edition deals, or create tiered clubs with more benefits.

Final Thought

Finding the best customer loyalty programs for small businesses don’t have to be overwhelming. By keeping these key criteria in mind—essential features, cost-effectiveness, ease of implementation, and customization capabilities—you can find a program that fits your budget and helps you build strong customer relationships. 

Remember, a well-designed loyalty program can be a powerful tool for increasing customer retention for small businesses, driving repeat purchases, and, ultimately, boosting your bottom line. 

If you have a Shopify store, install the BON Loyalty app – the best loyalty programs for startups offer a user-friendly platform, diverse reward options, and seamless integration with Shopify, making it ideal for small businesses starting their loyalty journey.
Experience the BON – free loyalty program software for small businesses, and read more about customer loyalty in our blog.