Everything a local business has to decide about loyalty.
Plain explanations of how loyalty programs work, what each type costs you in effort, and how to run one your customers can follow without a points calculator.
Understand the basics
What a loyalty program is, which kinds exist, and what one is actually for.
What is a loyalty program?
A plain explanation of what a loyalty program is, how loyalty cards and schemes differ, and what a local business needs to run one.
Read thisThe types of loyalty program, and who each one suits
Stamp cards, points, tiers, cashback, paid membership and referral schemes — how each type works and which fits a local business.
Read thisWhat a loyalty program actually does for a local business
What a loyalty program can and cannot change for a local business, why the famous retention statistics get misquoted, and how to measure your own.
Read thisLoyalty program examples, and what each one is actually doing
Eight loyalty program examples, from the coffee stamp card to paid membership — the mechanic behind each and the part a local business can borrow.
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Compare the options
Stamps against points, digital against paper, and how to judge loyalty software.
Stamp cards or loyalty points: which one fits your counter?
How stamp cards and points programs differ in effort, clarity and cost, and an honest account of when points are the better choice.
Read thisHow loyalty points work, and what it costs to run them
The two numbers that define any points program, how to price a point, and what unredeemed balances mean for a small business that issues them.
Read thisDigital loyalty cards: what they are and what to look for
What a digital loyalty card is, how browser cards differ from apps and wallet passes, and what changes when you move off paper.
Read thisLoyalty card apps: when a program needs one, and when it does not
The three different things people mean by loyalty card app, what an install costs you at the counter, and when building one is genuinely worth it.
Read thisLoyalty cards in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet: what a pass changes
What a wallet pass is, how it differs from a browser card and an app, what it can put on a lock screen, and when it is the wrong format.
Read thisHow to choose loyalty program software for a local business
The three categories of loyalty software, what each really costs to run, and the questions to ask a vendor before you commit.
Read thisFree loyalty programs: what free actually buys you
The four things vendors mean by free, the questions that separate them, and exactly where NeoLoyal's free tier stops and why it stops there.
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Build your program
Pick a reward, define an eligible visit, and get the first card into a customer’s hands.
How to start a loyalty program, in seven decisions
A step-by-step way to design a loyalty program for a local business: the reward, the target, the qualifying visit, and the launch.
Read thisLoyalty program ideas that work at a local counter
Concrete target-and-reward combinations for cafes, bakeries, salons, takeaways and shops, with the reasoning behind each one.
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By business type
The same decisions, seen from behind a particular counter.
Running a loyalty program with a small team
What is genuinely different about loyalty in a small business, the constraints that decide the design, and how to keep it running.
Read thisLoyalty programs for retail: what changes on a shop floor
Why retail loyalty is harder than hospitality, how to handle variable baskets and browsing, and what suits an independent shop.
Read thisLoyalty programs for cafes, coffee shops and restaurants
How to run a loyalty card during a morning rush, what to do about delivery orders, and the targets that suit food service.
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Ready to run a program instead of reading about one?
Set the target, choose the reward, print the join poster, and let your team stamp eligible visits from the first day.