As both a small business retailer and consumer, you’re more than familiar with loyalty programs — and you’re likely signed up for a few yourself.
If you’ve considered creating a rewards system for your wine store, but you’re not sure if it would be worthwhile, you’re in luck! Our team of retail experts is here to share the top four benefits of a wine store loyalty program.
1. Turn Casual Shoppers to Loyal Customers
Without a wine store loyalty program, you’re not guaranteed repeat business. You may recognize customers who pick up a bottle every so often, likely because your shop is on the way home from their office or in a convenient location. But this customer might have other wine stores they like that are just as convenient to swing by — making your store one of many potential options.
Why not ensure that your wine store is their top choice?
By offering a casual shopper a loyalty program, you’re giving them a reason to come back to your store — and your store only. They’re racking up rewards when they shop with you instead of the other store down the street, so why go anywhere else?
Once you’ve hooked a frequent shopper and you’ve got them on your rewards program, ask them for feedback. You can either chat with them while they’re shopping if you have that relationship, or send out a simple survey to learn what you could improve, what new wines you should add to your inventory, and more.
Consider sending out personalized coupons based on customer purchase history, VIP invitations to events, and any other communication that makes your rewards program members feel extra special. These simple actions can help turn anyone into a loyal wine store customer.
2. Reach New Consumers With Solid Deals
Have you had a hard time getting new customers in the door of your store? Creating a new wine store loyalty program could provide the boost you need!
Try offering customers 10 percent off their purchase total when they join your loyalty program. Or, you can give anyone who signs up for rewards a unique bottle of wine. No matter the incentive, it’ll be worthwhile to get new customers excited to join your wine store loyalty program.
At the end of the day, even if you’re fronting the cost of a pricey gift, you’re getting gold in return: A new customer’s contact information. Collecting contact information when you sign a customer up for your rewards program is key — and this opens the door for so many opportunities.
Ask customers if they want to opt into text and/or email communication, and emphasize the importance of receiving these messages. Maybe rewards program members are the first to know when a new product hits the shelves — or they get exclusive deals and coupons that non-members don’t have access to.
Getting new customers to sign up for your wine store loyalty program is more of a challenge than converting someone who has shopped with you before — so step up the incentive to ensure you’re creating a repeat customer.
3. Use Perks and Promos to Influence Big Spenders
Another great benefit of offering a wine store loyalty program is that you can turn a low-key shopper into a big spender.
Someone who may have only stopped in for a bottle of wine or two at a time might be willing to spend more if you give them a good reason to.
Make sure the perks you offer to rewards program members are enticing — and require some work to get there. A punch card is a great example, giving customers a free bottle of wine once they’ve purchased a certain number.
You can also try members-only promotions, such as BOGO (buy-one-get-one) or mix-and-match bundles. Offer loyalty program customers a decent percentage off of a bottle or give them wine glasses, a bottle opener, and aerator with a specific purchase.
If you’re offering an excellent — and exclusive — promotion, your loyalty program members will be way more willing to spend big. Think up some offers they won’t be able to resist!
4. Stand Out Against Big-Box Liquor Stores
It’s worth your time to research what large liquor retailers like Total Wine are doing with their loyalty programs and use what you find as inspiration. You don’t have to copy their rewards system exactly — and don’t be discouraged if you can’t match what they have to offer.
As a small wine store, you have something that big-box wine shops could never offer — personality, unique local products, and a sense of community.
All of this, plus a solid loyalty program, will put you light-years ahead of any chain liquor and wine stores.
Think of what you bring to the table. Celebrate being a small business and make sure your customers know how much you truly value them.
Kicking Off Your Wine Store Loyalty Program
A successful wine store loyalty program is so much easier to manage with a modern, powerful point of sale solution. We highly recommend utilizing a baked-in rewards feature, making it simple to capture customer information, track their purchase history, and send them personalized coupons and product notifications.
If you’re interested in how your POS system can make a difference — and increase your wine and liquor sales — schedule a live software demo with our team at Bottle POS. We’ve helped hundreds of wine stores nationwide get ahead of their competition — and we’d love the opportunity to do the same for you!
