What better way to increase sales and create customer loyalty than to create a dispensary loyalty program? Sure, you might be thinking, “But I don’t have the time or resources to create a loyalty program.” Trust us, it’s worth it.
Customer loyalty programs have been shown to increase customer spending, visit frequency, and brand engagement. Plus, it shows your customers that you value their business and want them to keep coming back.
To create a dispensary loyalty program is actually quite easy. There are a number of software solutions out there that can help you get started. And if you need more incentive, just think of all the free stuff you can give away to your loyal customers! Swag bags, discounts, free products… the possibilities are endless.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss the five simple steps to create your dispensary’s very own customer loyalty program.
Let’s roll into it.
Have an overall goal with your loyalty program
What type of behavior do you want to encourage? Create a loyalty program that recognizes your consumers for performing a certain action. For example, you cannot deny the tiny bit of excitement you get when approaching a free drink on your coffee punch card. That very punch card encourages more frequent visits, bringing in more foot traffic and increasing sales.
D33 LOYALTY PROGRAM!
— DISPENSARY 33 (@Dispensary33) June 4, 2021
That is all. pic.twitter.com/PuehRQDl6k
Here are some examples of goals that you might have with your dispensary’s loyalty program:
- Increased revenue: Increase the income from each transaction.
- More foot traffic: Encourage consumers to stop by more frequently.
- Overall data: Use your loyalty program to collect information about customer preferences, get feedback, and test new items.
There’s a straightforward method to determine which of these objectives is most beneficial to your company. Choose to incentivize regular visits if your dispensary is more of a low-ticket operation with a majority of single-serve portion purchases. If your dispensary typically sells larger quantities, or devices (bongs, expensive vapes, etc.) where there are more high-ticket items, use your program to push customers to spend more money.
Perks or points?
There are several tools and platforms available to assist you in establishing if your reward system should be perk or point-based. Here is a list of all the possible reward system structures your dispensary could choose from:
- Punch card: Punch cards are a great way to encourage customers to visit your dispensary more often. They’re simple and low-cost, and you can give rewards to customers who have collected a certain number of punches. However, there is a downside; You rely on your customers to remember and keep track of their cards, and you don’t have the ability to track data.
- Points program: Customers earn points based on their spending behavior, much like a frequent-flyer loyalty program. This method is simple to administer and scalable. Points programs will allow your dispensary to create rewards for various levels depending on how much someone spends. However, customers do not receive immediate gratification from the program, which can be time and resource-intensive to manage.
- Cash-back: Customers may get their money back from prior purchases, which can be applied to future transactions (coupons). This both encourages a return trip and greater spending. However, customers may be dissatisfied with delayed gratification. It’s not easy to create and implement this sort of program, so it’s costly.
- Sign-up rewards: Customers who sign up for your marketing program, such as by downloading an app or signing up for an email newsletter, or following you on social media, will be rewarded. This is most effective for obtaining data about your consumers but not necessarily for rewarding purchase behavior.
New Rewards Program starts Tuesday, use up your old loyalty points today! Venom Shatter 7G for $100, BOGO $50 1/4oz’s, $15 Shake Quarters!
— JARS Cannabis (@JarsCannabis_AZ) September 29, 2019
Your reward system should not harm your profit margin
It might be difficult to choose which incentive or award would be most successful at delighting a consumer without jeopardizing your profit margin. There are a few guidelines to keep in mind.
Some customers are more loyal than others
Your dispensary’s success is partly dependent on the loyalty and profitability of your best customers.
How long do you wish to maintain customer loyalty?
Look for methods to encourage long-term consumer loyalty to your dispensary. One-time discounts can be pricey and seldom result in loyalty. A buy one, get one free deal might alter customer behavior temporarily. But these types of promotions do not always encourage repeated visits for the same good.
Does your dispensary have a bottom line?
Many dispensaries avoid offering incentives because they are concerned about reducing income. However, recall that these are your most consistent customers. Their loyalty could be the breeding ground for the loyalty of future referred customers.
Loyalty and Rewards Program 💸
— The Lodge Cannabis (@LodgeCannabis) March 7, 2022
How does The Lodge Rewards Program work? ⚡️
Find out on our website!
Sign up for free, start earning loyalty points, and get access to exclusive discounts.https://t.co/vfSrhZxcf8 pic.twitter.com/WXw4cXfovw
Make it simple all around
Promote your reward program at the point of purchase, on social media, and in your email newsletter. Show consumers why it’s worthwhile to be a fan of your company by emphasizing all of the advantages. Consider including a points ticker in the online checkout process to demonstrate how many points customers may earn each time they make a purchase.
Make it simple for your clients to join your dispensary’s rewards program once you’ve raised awareness. Give lots of ways for customers to sign up and start earning points: online, by email, in-store, or at partner locations.
Simply ask for only the data you really need to achieve your objectives (for example, a customer’s name, email address, and phone number). It will be easier for someone to say yes if they don’t require much information to join.
Our rewards program has been UPGRADED! ⚠️
— Haze Dispensary San Jose (@Haze420SanJose) January 14, 2021
Check out the link in the bio 🔗 to sign up now and to view our blog for more details 📄 pic.twitter.com/BcSCHKUT62
Have the right tools
There are several loyalty programs that may be easily integrated with your existing POS and marketing suite. Make sure whatever program you choose is affordable, simple to set up, and provides a pleasant customer experience.
Here is a list of cannabis brand-friendly loyalty program softwares that we recommend for dispensaries:
- Fivestars: A smart payments and marketing solution that features simple technology, configurable incentives and offers, and automation.
- Perkville: Design your own loyalty program to create, administer, and track rewards via a web-based platform.
- Loyalzoo: With this software, you may send emails and texts to your customers on a weekly basis.
Basically…
Customer loyalty programs have been found to boost consumer spending, visit frequency, and brand engagement. It also shows your customers that you appreciate their business and want them to return. By following the guidelines in these five simple steps, your dispensary will be well on the way to creating a valuable incentive to keep customers coming back, and generating new super-fans almost daily!
Any questions? Need support?
Get in touch with us here at WeedBoost if you have any questions about how to create a dispensary customer loyalty program, if you’re in search of a new website, SEO (search engine optimization), social media management, or simply need someone to talk to about this whole “cannabis thing”. We know how to help.
