Keep Customers Coming Back with
Easy-to-Make Loyalty Cards

 

One of my favorite local cafés here in Dallas keeps me coming back for more with frightening regularity. It might be that the food and coffee is awesome when I’m in need of a quick pick-me-up, but I’m sure it also has something to do with the “buy five coffees, get one free” loyalty card they stamp for me every time I visit. And while there are certainly plenty of other eateries in the area I could visit, that one free meal sure is a good incentive to keep coming back to this one. And with that one simple punch card – and some great food – this café has built a seriously devoted, repeat customer.


 


So why aren’t more businesses doing it? Good question, I thought. And while I really don’t have the answer to it, I do know that these cards are just as easy to make as business cards. In fact, for most businesses I’ve seen use them, the cards double as both. 


 


Because we’re always on the lookout to share easy tricks that will help the entrepreneurs who read Out of Office build their business, I thought I’d see if these loyalty cards are something that can be done easily on the Design & Print Center system. After I played around in the business card section for a bit, I found that not only are they easy to make, but the options go WAY beyond those that might work for a restaurant.  Just check out the ones I made up using a mix of the pre-made templates and clip art images available in the program.


 



 


 



 


Using professionally printed and themed loyalty cards like these make your business look good on paper, reminding customers how great you were last time they came in – and urging them to come back again and again!  Hope our small business readers will keep this idea in mind next time they’re looking for a new marketing tool to try out with their customers. If you do, let us know how it goes!


 


 


Related FedEx Office Solutions: Design & Print Center


 

Comments

These totally work on me.

 I am a creature of habit, as I sure most humans are. Give me the slightest nudge to do something again and again, reward that behaviour, and I'm hooked. Great idea.

These are a great idea!

These would be a great addition to my hubby's business! We are always trying to find ways to draw customers back, and I think these would help, not only as a reminder of us but as a nice incentive to keep visiting us!

I'll definetly be checking in on these, thanks for the great idea!

They do seem to work. Even my

They do seem to work. Even my chiropractor uses loyalty cards!

I love loyalty cards-I have a

I love loyalty cards-I have a cardboard foldable sunvisor (the kind you

put on your windshield on sunny days) that I keep next to the passenger

seat in my car.  I put restaurant coupons and various loyalty cards

in there.  That way I don't have to rifle through my purse looking for

a loyalty card.  I do patronize businesses more that have a loyalty card

versus a similar business who doesn't have one.

Very Creative

I like the idea of handing out something like this in place of a regular business card. It seems that the punch card system would definitely increase the likelihood of people actually keeping your card (instead of tossing it in the trash).

I wonder how bloggers might be able to do something similar. This calls for a brainstorm...! ;)

Loyalty cards....

I like the idea of these cards, and took this a step further, for myself and my husband.  Recently we went on a trip and met several nice people, and at the end of our vacation we all exchanged emails, addresses, phone numbers, all on pieces of paper.  When we got home and I saw these loyalty cards, I thought, hey, I am going to be loyal to myself.  I had cards made for myself and husband with our address, each of our email addresses and our cell numbers.  Now when we go on vacations or anywhere we meet people to keep in contact with, we hand out these cards.  No worries about work numbers, just the information we want everyone to have!!!

Great For My New Business!

I am recently a new business owner and this would be perfect for gaining new customers! Just knowing that not only are the products great but they will be rewarded by continuing to return to me for those products will be great for both myself and the customer! Thanks for this great post!

Gets me everytime

I LOVE loyalty programs.  My favorite is the loyalty program at the tiny place where I get my brow threading done.  Customers stand in line just to get into the place.  The loyalty card gives 1 free threading after 5. 

Never thought of this

I have a very small business but this is a terrific idea for anyone. Thanks!

Love them!

I love companies that have loyalty cards.  It really encourages more visits and more spending from my family.  I love them!

I love these!

I honestly wished more places offered incentives like this. I go to a coffee shop across the street from my home at least four times a week... imagine all of the free coffee I would have gotten by now! It would be nice if they offered maybe a free pastry with 5 purchases of coffee.

Great for small businesses and bloggers, too!

Business cards are great for small businesses, but I think they're great for bloggers, too.  Take myself for example; I have a blog about eating gluten free and I share my recipes.  I don't have a card (yet) so when I'm talking to someone and they want to know more, I'm scrambling to find a piece of paper to write my info. down.  It would be so much easier just to hand them a card with my blog info. on it, ready to go!  I've seen other bloggers doing this and I think it's a great idea!

I love these!!!

These are awesome!!  I love how these cards are so useful and versatile for so many things... really a great way to encourage new and continued business...

I just started doing loyalty

I just started doing loyalty cards with my direct sales business...interested to see what they generate.

loyalty cards

This is a huge thing for my family, we use these cards to visit our favorite places. These are places we would probably go anyway, but the card definitely increases frequency of purchases.

Love these

I love when businesses offer these.  I know I'm a lot more likely to go to places that offer something like this!  I wish more places did...

Great idea!

I may try these out for my blog once I finish the transfer over to wordpress. Thanks for sharing! Network, network, network!

Great idea!

I'm not a business owner, but as a customer, I couldn't agree more with how well these cards work. Everyone loves getting a bargain and what better deal than something free? Now if only I could figure out a way to keep them more organized in my wallet so I could find the one that I need when I need it!

Ideas

I love this idea! Thanks!

smart!

Smart marketing, my local pizza place does this for discounts and so does a gourmet sandwich shop.  Gives me tons of incentive to go back again and again!

I use these for repeat order

I use these for repeat order with my Avon business. They work great!

great idea!

I'm going to suggest these to a local friend opening a restuarant.  Great idea!

I am especially interested in

I am especially interested in this subject since my husband has a small business. He is trying to attract more business (he builds custom fishing rods) and these note cards would be wonderful for his customers.

Loyalty Cards

I live for loyalty cards but am sad to see many small business are doing away with these!  As a small business owner myself (former restaurant/coffee shop owner), I admit that sometimes it was a pain to deal with the loyalty cards but it seemed to bring the business in.

I highly encourage small business owners to keep the loyalty card as a way to drive business!

That is sad. I haven't seen a

That is sad. I haven't seen a decline in use by the small businesses I frequent. I'm almost due for a free smoothie and I have three more punches to go for my chiropractor.

Great Idea

I love companies who have customer loyalty cards. It always gives me a reason to come back to their store rather then walmart. A freebie is the best incentive!

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