How to Promote Your Loyalty Program: 10 Proven Strategies for Small Businesses

You've set up your loyalty program. The card looks great, the reward is genuinely appealing, and you're ready to go. There's just one problem: nobody's signing up.

This is one of the most common frustrations small business owners run into with loyalty programs. Not because the programme itself is bad, but because launching it and promoting it are two completely different skills. Most of the advice out there focuses on designing the perfect reward structure — and then glosses over the part where you actually have to get people enrolled. If you're struggling with that first hurdle, there are proven strategies to get customers to join that address the most common barriers to enrolment.

Here's the reality: even the best loyalty program in the world is worthless if your customers don't know about it or can't be bothered to join. Promotion isn't a one-off launch event. It's an ongoing part of running the programme, and it matters just as much as the reward itself.

The good news? You don't need a marketing team or an advertising budget to promote a small business loyalty program effectively. You need a handful of practical strategies, consistent execution, and an understanding of what actually motivates people to sign up.

Why Most Loyalty Programs Stall After Launch

Before we get into specific tactics, it's worth understanding why loyalty programme sign-ups tend to plateau.

The pattern is almost always the same. You launch the programme, your regulars sign up in the first week or two, and then growth slows to a trickle. New customers walk in, make a purchase, and leave without ever knowing the programme exists. Existing customers who didn't join in the first wave forget about it entirely.

This happens because most businesses treat their loyalty programme launch as a moment rather than an ongoing process. They put up a poster, mention it on social media once, and assume word will spread. It won't — not without sustained, deliberate effort.

The businesses that build large, active loyalty memberships treat promotion as a permanent feature of daily operations. It's baked into the checkout process, the staff routine, and every customer touchpoint. That's the mindset shift that makes the difference.

10 Strategies to Promote Your Loyalty Program

1. Make Staff Your Primary Sign-Up Channel

This is, without question, the single most effective way to grow your loyalty programme. Nothing else comes close.

A staff member saying "Would you like to join our rewards programme? It takes about 20 seconds and you'll earn a stamp today" will convert more customers than every poster, social media post, and email campaign combined.

The reason is simple: it's a personal, in-the-moment invitation from someone the customer is already interacting with. There's social ease to saying yes, and the friction of signing up is minimal when someone is right there to walk you through it.

But here's where most businesses fall short — they tell staff about the programme once and assume it'll become part of the routine. It rarely does unless you actively reinforce it.

What works: make it a specific, stated expectation. "Every customer who pays at the till should be asked if they're collecting stamps with us." Track sign-ups by shift or by team member if possible. Some businesses even run internal competitions — the staff member with the most sign-ups in a week gets a small bonus or early finish.

With Perkstar, sign-up is genuinely fast — the customer scans a QR code, fills in minimal details, and the card saves to their Apple Wallet or Google Wallet. There's no app to download, no account to create. That speed matters, because the easier it is for staff to describe, the more likely they are to ask.

2. Put a QR Code Everywhere a Customer Looks

Your QR code is your sign-up mechanism. It should be impossible for a customer to visit your business without seeing it at least once — ideally two or three times.

The high-converting placements, based on what actually works for small businesses:

At the point of sale. A small acrylic stand or table card right where customers pay. This is the number one physical sign-up point because customers are stationary, often waiting, and already engaged with your business.

On the door or front window. Foot traffic past your business is free advertising. A clear, simple sign — "Earn rewards every time you visit. Scan to join." — catches people before they even walk in.

On tables or waiting areas. Cafés, restaurants, salons, barbers, and fitness studios all have moments where customers are sitting and have nothing to do. A QR code on the table or in the waiting area capitalises on that idle time. Of course, the QR code is only as effective as what it leads to — a well-designed digital loyalty card that loads instantly, explains the reward clearly, and saves to the customer's phone wallet in a single tap.

In the toilets. It sounds odd, but bathroom signage has some of the highest engagement rates of any in-store placement. People are alone, undistracted, and looking at the walls. A small framed card above the hand dryer works surprisingly well.

On receipts. If your POS system supports it, add a line to printed receipts with a short message and QR code. This catches customers who didn't sign up in-store but might do so later.

Perkstar provides downloadable marketing materials and QR codes that you can print yourself, so there's no design work required. The key is coverage — make the QR code unavoidable rather than tucked away in one corner.

3. Offer a Sign-Up Reward

This is the single easiest way to increase your sign-up rate dramatically. Businesses that offer an immediate reward for joining — a free stamp, a small discount, a bonus — consistently see sign-up rates two to three times higher than those that don't.

The reason is psychological. Without a sign-up reward, joining your programme is an investment in a future benefit. The customer has to imagine coming back enough times to earn the reward. With a sign-up reward, there's an immediate return — the decision to join pays off right now. The psychology behind this is well-documented — instant rewards drive loyalty sign-ups because they eliminate the uncertainty of a future payoff and create a positive first impression that anchors the customer's perception of your business.

It doesn't need to be expensive. A free first stamp (so the customer starts their card already one step closer to the reward) is often enough. A small percentage off today's purchase works too. The goal is to eliminate the mental barrier of "is this worth my time?"

With Perkstar, you can configure a sign-up reward directly in the platform. When a customer joins, they automatically receive their welcome reward — no manual intervention needed.

4. Use Referrals to Turn Members Into Promoters

Your existing loyalty members are your best marketing channel for reaching new customers. They've already experienced your programme, they already visit regularly, and their recommendation carries more weight than anything you could say about yourself. This dynamic works because your regulars function as genuine social media influencers for your business — their recommendations carry credibility that paid advertising simply can't replicate.

A referral programme incentivises this natural word-of-mouth. The structure is straightforward: when an existing member refers a friend who signs up, both the referrer and the new member receive a reward. The referrer gets a bonus stamp or points, and the new member gets a sign-up reward. Both parties benefit, and your membership grows organically.

Perkstar has a built-in referral programme feature. Each member gets a unique referral link they can share, and rewards are tracked and issued automatically. You don't need to manage it manually — the system handles the attribution and reward distribution.

The businesses that get the most out of referrals are the ones that actively remind members the option exists. A push notification once a month — "Love earning rewards with us? Share your referral link and you'll both get a bonus" — keeps the referral channel active without being pushy.

5. Send a Push Notification to Bring Lapsed Members Back

Not every sign-up becomes an active member. Some customers join, collect a stamp or two, and then drift away. That's normal — but it doesn't mean they're lost.

Push notifications are one of the most underused tools in a small business loyalty programme. Unlike emails (which have average open rates around 20%), push notifications land directly on the customer's lock screen with open rates closer to 50% or higher. If you want to go deeper on this, there are several strategies for re-engaging lapsed loyalty members that go beyond a single notification and build a structured win-back sequence. The key is getting the frequency right — too many notifications and you'll train customers to ignore them, which is why having a clear communication strategy to stay top of mind matters more than simply having the tool. The real power of loyalty software with push notifications is the ability to target specific segments — lapsed members, frequent visitors, or customers who haven't redeemed a reward — rather than blasting the same message to everyone.

For lapsed members, a well-timed notification can be the nudge that brings them back. "It's been a while — pop in this week and we'll give you a bonus stamp to get you closer to your reward" is specific, generous, and creates urgency without being aggressive.

With Perkstar, push notifications are unlimited and included in every plan. You can send them manually to your full membership or use behavioural segmentation to target specific groups — like customers who haven't visited in 30 days. This turns a passive member list into an active re-engagement tool.

6. Promote on Social Media (But Do It Right)

Social media is useful for loyalty programme promotion, but most businesses approach it wrong. A single announcement post saying "We've launched a loyalty programme!" gets modest engagement and then disappears into the feed.

What works better is ongoing, varied content that keeps the programme visible:

Show the reward in action. A photo or short video of a customer redeeming their reward — a free coffee, a discount, a gift — is more compelling than any description. It makes the benefit tangible and creates social proof. Even better, encourage customers to post their own photos when they redeem — user-generated content boosts loyalty because the act of publicly endorsing your business deepens their commitment to it.

Share milestones. "We just hit 500 loyalty members — thank you!" This kind of post celebrates your community and prompts people who haven't joined to wonder what they're missing. Beyond programme promotion, using social media to build customer loyalty through consistent, authentic engagement gives people a reason to stay connected with your business between visits.

Pin your sign-up link. Most social platforms let you pin a post or add a link to your bio. Your loyalty programme sign-up link should live there permanently, not buried in a feed post from three months ago.

Run a limited-time incentive. "Join our loyalty programme this week and start with 3 free stamps" creates urgency and gives you a reason to post about the programme repeatedly without it feeling repetitive.

Include your Perkstar sign-up link in every relevant social post. Since Perkstar provides a branded sign-up page, the experience from social media to enrolled member is seamless — no app store detour required.

7. Add It to Your Google Business Profile

This one takes two minutes and most businesses overlook it completely. Your Google Business profile is often the first thing a potential customer sees when they search for your business. If your loyalty programme isn't mentioned there, you're missing a free promotional opportunity.

Add a post to your Google Business profile announcing or highlighting your loyalty programme. Include the sign-up link. Update your business description to mention rewards. If Google supports it for your category, add it as an offer or update.

For local businesses, your Google profile is arguably more important than your website for first impressions. Make sure your loyalty programme is visible there.

8. Include It in Every Email You Send

If you have an email list — even a small one — your loyalty programme should be mentioned in every email you send, not just a one-off launch announcement.

Add a short line and sign-up link to your email signature. Include a loyalty programme mention in your email footer. When you send newsletters, promotions, or booking confirmations, weave in a reference to the programme. If your email list is small, your loyalty programme can actually help grow it — building email lists through loyalty programmes works because customers who've already opted into your rewards are far more likely to share their email address than cold prospects.

The goal isn't to make every email about your loyalty programme. It's to ensure that every email reminds the reader it exists. Repetition matters — most people need to see something multiple times before they act on it.

If you're using Perkstar alongside a service like Mailgun for email (which integrates directly with the platform), you can include loyalty programme messaging in your automated email flows — confirmation emails, follow-ups, and re-engagement sequences.

9. Leverage the Moment After a Great Experience

Timing matters enormously in loyalty programme sign-ups. The best moment to ask a customer to join is immediately after a positive experience — when they've just enjoyed a great meal, left a haircut feeling good, or finished a workout they're proud of.

Train your staff to recognise these moments. A barber who's just finished a cut the customer loves is in the perfect position to say "By the way, if you join our rewards programme you'll earn a stamp today — and after your next few visits, you'll get one on us." The customer is already feeling positive about the business, so the invitation feels like an extension of that good experience rather than a sales pitch.

This is also why Google Review Rewards — a feature built into Perkstar — work so well as a sign-up driver. When a customer has just had a great experience, you prompt them to leave a Google review and reward them with a stamp or bonus for doing so. It simultaneously grows your reviews (which drive new customer acquisition) and gets the customer actively engaging with your loyalty programme.

10. Make Your Programme Worth Talking About

All of the above strategies work better when the underlying programme is genuinely good. A loyalty programme with a compelling reward, a reasonable threshold, and a frictionless experience promotes itself through word of mouth in a way that no marketing tactic can replicate.

If sign-ups are stalling despite consistent promotion, the issue might not be awareness — it might be the offer. Ask yourself: if you were a customer, would you be excited to join? If you've been promoting consistently and sign-ups are still flat, it's worth diagnosing whether your loyalty programme has a fixable problem with its structure, reward threshold, or enrolment flow before investing more effort into promotion. Would you tell a friend about it? Sometimes the difference is offering unique ways to reward customers that go beyond the standard free item — experiences, early access, or personalised perks that feel genuinely special.

A stamp card that requires 20 visits for a 10% discount isn't going to generate buzz. A stamp card that requires 8 visits for a genuinely valuable reward — a free service, a meaningful discount, a product customers actually want — gives people something to talk about.

The most successful small business loyalty programmes we see on Perkstar share a few traits: a clear, simple structure that can be explained in one sentence; a reward that feels generous without destroying margins; and a sign-up process so fast that there's no reason not to join.

Real-World Promotion Plan: Week One to Month Three

Here's what a realistic promotion timeline looks like for a small business launching (or relaunching) a loyalty programme:

Week 1: QR codes placed at every customer touchpoint. Staff briefed and actively asking every customer. Sign-up reward configured. Social media announcement posted with sign-up link pinned.

Week 2–4: Staff continue asking at every transaction. First push notification sent to early members — "Welcome! Here's what you can earn." Referral programme activated. Google Business profile updated.

Month 2: First lapsed-member push notification sent. Social media post celebrating member milestone. Internal staff sign-up competition launched. Email signature and footer updated with loyalty link.

Month 3: Review sign-up data. Identify which channels are driving the most enrolments. Double down on what's working. If growth has plateaued, test a limited-time sign-up incentive or adjust the reward.

Promotion isn't a launch activity — it's an operating rhythm. The businesses that build the largest loyalty memberships are the ones that never stop asking, never stop reminding, and never stop making it easy.

Getting Started

If you don't have a digital loyalty programme yet, or if your current one isn't getting the traction it deserves, Perkstar gives you everything you need — digital loyalty cards that save to Apple and Google Wallet, unlimited push notifications, referral programmes, Google Review Rewards, and a branded sign-up page — starting at £15 per month.

Start with a free 14-day trial, no credit card required. Most businesses have their card live and their first members enrolled within 15 minutes.

Start your free 14-day trial →

FAQ

How quickly should I expect sign-ups after launching a loyalty programme?

Most small businesses see their fastest sign-up growth in the first two to four weeks, driven primarily by staff asking existing customers. After that initial burst, growth typically settles into a steady rate driven by ongoing promotion, referrals, and new customer acquisition. If you're not seeing sign-ups in the first week, the issue is almost always that staff aren't consistently asking at the point of sale.

What's the most effective way to promote a loyalty programme with no marketing budget?

Staff asking at the till. It costs nothing, converts at the highest rate of any channel, and compounds over time as those early members start referring friends. Pair it with a QR code at the point of sale and a pinned social media post with your sign-up link, and you have a zero-budget promotion system that covers in-store, online, and word-of-mouth channels.

Should I offer a reward just for signing up to my loyalty programme?

Yes — in almost every case, a sign-up reward significantly increases enrolment rates. It doesn't need to be expensive. A free first stamp, a small discount on today's purchase, or a bonus that moves the customer closer to their first reward is usually enough. The goal is to eliminate the hesitation of "is this worth joining?" by providing immediate, tangible value.

How often should I send push notifications to loyalty members?

For most small businesses, one to four push notifications per month is the right frequency. Enough to stay visible without feeling intrusive. Mix promotional messages (bonus stamp offers, limited-time deals) with value-driven ones (milestone celebrations, new product announcements). The businesses that see the best engagement treat push notifications as a conversation with their best customers, not a broadcast channel.

Do referral programmes actually work for small businesses?

Yes, particularly for businesses with a strong local customer base. When a trusted friend or family member recommends a business and the new customer receives a welcome reward, the conversion rate is significantly higher than any other acquisition channel. The key is making the referral process simple — a shareable link rather than a complicated code — and reminding existing members periodically that the option exists.

How do I know if my loyalty programme promotion is working?

Track three numbers: new sign-ups per week, active member rate (members who've transacted in the last 30 days), and the channel driving the most enrolments (staff, social media, referrals, or organic). If sign-ups are high but active rates are low, your promotion is working but your reward might not be compelling enough. If both are low, you need more consistent promotion — start with staff engagement at the point of sale.