---
name: loyalty-program
description: "Designs customer loyalty and rewards programs with tier structures, earning rules, redemption options, and promotional launch messaging. Use when a user wants to increase repeat purchases, reduce churn, reward their best customers, or build a membership-style retention system."
---

# Loyalty Program Designer

## When to Use This Skill

- Repeat purchase rate is below industry average
- Want to reward existing customers to increase retention
- Launching a membership or VIP tier system
- Competitors have loyalty programs and you don't
- Customer lifetime value is lower than acquisition cost justifies

## Core Principle

**LOYALTY PROGRAMS REWARD BEHAVIOR YOU WANT MORE OF. If you want more purchases, reward purchases. If you want more referrals, reward referrals. Never reward behavior that would happen anyway.**

## Workflow

### Phase 1: Program Design

Ask the user:
1. What do you sell? (products, services, subscriptions)
2. What's your average order value and purchase frequency?
3. What behavior do you want to incentivize? (more purchases, higher AOV, referrals, reviews)
4. What can you afford to give back? (% of revenue, fixed rewards)
5. What tools do you use? (Shopify, email platform, POS system)

**Minimum needed: questions 1 and 2.**

### Phase 2: Choose Program Type

| Type | Best For | How It Works |
|------|----------|-------------|
| **Points-based** | E-commerce, frequent purchases | Earn X points per $1 spent, redeem for rewards |
| **Tier-based** | Services, premium brands | Unlock benefits at spending thresholds |
| **Punch card** | Simple products, food, services | Buy X, get 1 free |
| **Paid VIP** | Premium brands, curated experience | Pay annual fee for exclusive perks |
| **Hybrid** | Larger businesses | Points + tiers combined |

**Default recommendation: Points-based** for most small businesses (simplest to implement and understand).

### Phase 3: Define the Structure

**For Points-Based:**
- Earning rate: X points per $1 spent (standard: 1 point per $1)
- Bonus earning: 2x points on [specific category/action]
- Redemption: 100 points = $X off (standard: 100 points = $5-10)
- Expiration: Points expire after 12 months of inactivity
- Bonus actions: Reviews (+50 pts), referrals (+200 pts), birthday (+100 pts)

**For Tier-Based:**
| Tier | Threshold | Benefits |
|------|-----------|----------|
| Bronze | $0 (auto-enrolled) | Earn points, birthday reward |
| Silver | $500/year | 1.5x points, free shipping, early access |
| Gold | $1,500/year | 2x points, free shipping, exclusive products, priority support |
| Platinum | $5,000/year | 3x points, free shipping, personal shopper, VIP events |

### Phase 4: Create Launch Materials

Write:
1. **Program name and tagline**
2. **Announcement email** to existing customers
3. **How It Works page** (for website)
4. **Social media announcement post**
5. **In-store or on-site signage copy** (if applicable)

### Phase 5: Set Success Metrics

- Enrollment rate (% of customers who join)
- Active member rate (% who've earned/redeemed in last 90 days)
- Repeat purchase rate (members vs. non-members)
- Average order value (members vs. non-members)
- Program ROI (incremental revenue vs. reward costs)

## Examples

### Example 1: Online Coffee Roaster — Points Program

**Program: "Bean Points"**

**Structure:**
- Earn: 1 point per $1 spent
- Bonus: 2x points on subscription orders, +50 points for reviews
- Redeem: 100 points = $5 off, 250 points = free bag of coffee
- Tiers: None (keep it simple for a small catalog)
- Expiration: 12 months of inactivity

**Announcement Email:**

> Subject: We made loyalty taste better
>
> Hey [Name],
>
> You've been buying our coffee for a while now (good taste, by the way).
>
> Starting today, every dollar you spend earns you Bean Points.
>
> **Here's how it works:**
> - Earn 1 point for every $1 you spend
> - Subscription orders earn DOUBLE points
> - 100 points = $5 off your next order
> - 250 points = a free bag of your choice
>
> **You're starting with 50 bonus points** just for being an existing customer.
>
> Check your points balance anytime at [link].
>
> Keep brewing,
> [Brand Name]

**How It Works Page:**

> **Bean Points: Our Way of Saying Thanks**
>
> **Earn Points**
> - $1 spent = 1 point
> - Subscription orders = 2x points
> - Leave a review = 50 bonus points
> - Refer a friend = 200 bonus points
> - Your birthday = 100 bonus points
>
> **Redeem Rewards**
> - 100 points = $5 off
> - 250 points = free bag of coffee
> - 500 points = free bag + free shipping for life on that order
>
> **Getting Started:** You're already enrolled. Every purchase going back 90 days has been credited to your account. [Check your balance →]

### Example 2: Boutique Fitness Studio — Tier Program

**Program: "The Inner Circle"**

**Tiers:**

| Tier | Threshold | Benefits |
|------|-----------|----------|
| Member | Sign up | Earn stamps, birthday free class |
| Regular | 20 classes/year | 10% off retail, priority booking |
| Devoted | 50 classes/year | 15% off retail, 1 free guest pass/month, early workshop access |
| Inner Circle | 100 classes/year | 20% off retail, unlimited guest passes, free workshops, annual appreciation gift |

**Social Media Announcement:**

> Big news: We're launching The Inner Circle.
>
> It's our way of thanking the people who show up. Not once. Not twice. Consistently.
>
> 🥉 Member: Birthday free class
> 🥈 Regular (20 classes): 10% off retail, priority booking
> 🥇 Devoted (50 classes): Free guest passes, early workshop access
> 💎 Inner Circle (100 classes): Unlimited guests, free workshops, annual thank-you gift
>
> The best part? If you've taken classes with us this year, your visits already count. Check your tier at the front desk.
>
> See you on the mat. 🧘

## Recovery & Fallbacks

- **User has a very small customer base (<100):** Skip the formal program. Send personalized thank-you notes and surprise discounts instead. Loyalty programs need volume to justify the setup.
- **User can't implement points tracking:** Use a simple punch card model (digital or physical). "Buy 10, get 1 free" requires zero tech.
- **Low enrollment:** The program isn't visible enough. Add signup prompts at checkout, in order confirmations, and on the homepage. Most customers don't know it exists.
- **Members aren't redeeming:** The reward threshold is too high. Lower the first redemption tier so members experience a win within 2-3 purchases.

## Constraints

- **First reward must be achievable within 2-3 purchases** — if it takes 20 purchases to earn anything, nobody will participate
- Keep the math simple — customers should be able to calculate their rewards in their head
- Never make redemption harder than earning — if earning is easy but redeeming requires 5 steps, participation drops
- Include an enrollment incentive (bonus points, welcome discount) to drive initial sign-ups
- Always communicate the program value in dollars, not just points — "$5 off" is clearer than "100 points"
