Loyalty Program Software Free Trial: What to Test & How to Decide

You've researched loyalty program software. You've read the comparison articles. You've looked at pricing. You've narrowed it down to one or two platforms that seem like good fits.

Now you're staring at a "Start Free Trial" button, and you're hesitating.

Not because you don't want to try it — but because you're not sure what you should actually test during the trial. Or how you'll know if it's working. Or whether 7 or 14 days is even enough time to make an informed decision.

Here's the truth: most people waste their free trials. They sign up with good intentions, get distracted by day-to-day business operations, and let the trial expire without gathering any meaningful data. Then they either sign up anyway (hoping it'll work) or give up entirely (assuming it won't).

Both outcomes are avoidable.

A well-executed trial gives you clear, confidence-building evidence about whether loyalty software will work for your specific business. Not theory. Not hopes. Actual data from your actual customers in your actual environment.

This guide explains exactly what to test during your trial period, how to set up properly from day one, which metrics actually matter, and how to know — definitively — whether loyalty software is worth the investment before you commit.

What a Free Trial Is Actually For

Let's start by clarifying what you're trying to accomplish.

A free trial isn't about "kicking the tyres" or "seeing what it's like." It's about answering one critical question:

"Will this loyalty program generate more revenue than it costs?"

Everything you do during the trial should help answer that question.

Secondary questions that matter:

• Will customers actually use it, or is adoption going to be terrible?

• Can my staff operate this consistently, or will it be too complicated?

• Does the platform work reliably, or will technical issues create problems?

• Are the features I need actually included, or hidden behind higher-priced tiers?

• Is support responsive when something goes wrong?

If you can answer these questions confidently by the end of your trial, you'll make a good decision. If you can't, you've wasted the trial period.

Before You Start: Pre-Trial Preparation (15 Minutes)

Don't just click "Start Trial" and figure it out later. Fifteen minutes of preparation will make your trial 10x more valuable.

1. Define Your Success Criteria

Write down — actually write it down — what would make this trial successful.

Good success criteria:

• "50+ customers join the loyalty program in 14 days"

• "At least 10 customers return for a second visit and reference the loyalty program"

• "Staff can operate the system without asking me for help after day 3"

• "I can send a push notification and see measurable response (customers visiting within 48 hours)"

Bad success criteria:

• "It seems easy to use"

• "Customers don't complain"

• "It looks professional"

The difference: good criteria are measurable. Bad criteria are subjective.

2. Block Time for Setup

The biggest trial mistake is signing up and then ignoring it for a week because you're busy.

Block 1 hour on day 1 for initial setup. Block 30 minutes on day 3 to check progress. Block 30 minutes on day 7 to review data and adjust.

If you can't commit 2 hours across a 14-day trial, you're not ready for loyalty software yet.

3. Prepare Your Team

Tell your staff:

• "We're testing a new digital loyalty program for two weeks"

• "I need you to mention it to every customer at checkout"

• "It takes 5 seconds for customers to join — just point to this QR code"

• "If customers ask questions or have issues, tell me immediately"

Staff buy-in makes or breaks trials. If they don't promote it, no one will join, and you'll learn nothing.

4. Set a Decision Date

Pick the date you'll make your go/no-go decision. Put it in your calendar.

If it's a 14-day trial, schedule the decision for day 13. This forces you to actually review the data instead of letting the trial auto-convert (or auto-expire) without conscious thought.

Day 1: Setup and First Customers (1 Hour)

Here's what to accomplish on day one:

Task 1: Design Your Loyalty Card (20 Minutes)

Use the platform's visual builder to create your digital loyalty card:

• Upload your logo

• Choose your brand colours

• Set your reward structure (keep it simple: "Buy 9, get 10th free" or "100 points = £5 off") If you're unsure whether to go with stamps-per-visit or points-per-pound, a guide on designing a stamp card that drives loyalty covers the psychology behind reward structures and which formats work best for different business types.

• Write a brief description

Trial tip: Don't agonize over perfection. Choose something simple that you can test. You can refine it later if the trial succeeds.

Task 2: Generate Your Sign-Up QR Code (2 Minutes)

The platform creates a QR code that customers scan to join. Download it and print it immediately.

Create a simple sign: "Join Our Digital Loyalty Program"
"Scan Here 👇"
[QR code]

Place it on your counter where customers naturally look while waiting or paying.

Task 3: Train Your Staff (10 Minutes)

Show your team:

1. Where the QR code is and how to mention it: "We've got a digital loyalty card now — scan this if you'd like to join"

2. How to use the scanner app on your phone/tablet to apply stamps when customers show their cards

3. What to do if customers have questions

Make them practice once or twice. That's it.

Trial tip: If staff training takes longer than 10 minutes, that's valuable data — it means the platform is too complicated for your operation.

Task 4: Get Your First 3 Customers to Join (20 Minutes)

Don't wait. Actively recruit your first few customers during your first shift.

When regulars come in, say: "We're testing a new digital loyalty program — would you mind being one of our first members? Takes 5 seconds."

Watch what happens:

• How long does it actually take?

• Do customers understand immediately, or are they confused?

• Does the scanner app work smoothly?

• Do stamps apply correctly in real-time?

Those first 3 customers give you immediate feedback about the customer experience.

Task 5: Send Yourself a Test Notification (5 Minutes)

Add your own phone to the loyalty program. Then send yourself a test push notification through the platform.

Check:

• Does it appear on your lock screen?

• Is it noticeable?

• Does tapping it do what you expect?

This validates that notifications work before you send real campaigns.

Days 2–7: Customer Adoption and Staff Consistency

The first week is about two things: adoption and consistency. Businesses with naturally recurring visits — like independent pharmacies running loyalty programmes — often see adoption rates above 60% because customers already expect to return.

Priority 1: Track Sign-Ups Daily

Check your dashboard every day and note how many new customers joined.

What you're looking for:

• Are customers joining when staff mention it, or is resistance high?

• Is the number growing daily, or did it plateau after day 2?

• What percentage of customers who are asked actually join?

Good signs:

• 5–10 new sign-ups per day (for a small business with 30–50 daily customers)

• Steady or accelerating growth

• 40–60%+ conversion rate when customers are directly asked

Red flags:

• Fewer than 3 sign-ups per day despite staff asking

• Numbers declining after day 2

• Under 20% conversion when directly asked (suggests platform is too complicated)

Priority 2: Monitor Staff Usage

Watch whether your staff actually use the system consistently.

Questions to ask:

• Are they scanning every loyalty member's card, or forgetting during busy periods?

• Do they need help or reminders, or have they internalized the process?

• Are they comfortable enough to proactively mention it to customers?

Good signs:

• Staff operate independently by day 3

• No technical issues or complaints

• They mention the program naturally without prompting

Red flags:

• Staff avoid using it or forget constantly

• They ask for help repeatedly

• They tell you "it's too complicated" or "customers don't get it"

Priority 3: Collect Qualitative Feedback

Ask 5–10 customers who joined:

• "How easy was that to set up?"

• "Can you find the card in your wallet easily?"

• "Does it make sense how it works?"

You're not doing market research. You're sanity-checking that the customer experience is smooth.

Days 8–14: First Campaign and Data Analysis

Week two is about testing the value delivery — can this system actually drive business outcomes?

Priority 1: Send Your First Push Notification Campaign (Day 8–9)

Don't wait until the trial ends. Send a real campaign to all your loyalty members midway through.

Suggested message: "Thanks for joining our loyalty program! Here's 10% off your next visit this week only."

What to measure:

• How many people open/see the notification (platforms often show this)

• How many people visit within 48 hours

• How many people mention the notification at checkout

• Revenue generated from those visits

Good signs:

• 5–15% of loyalty members visit within 48 hours specifically because of the message

• Customers mention seeing the notification

• You can directly attribute revenue to the campaign

Red flags:

• Zero measurable response

• No one mentions the notification

• Platform doesn't show you any data about sends or opens

Priority 2: Review Your Dashboard Metrics (Day 10)

Log into the platform and look at your data:

Key metrics to check:

• Total active loyalty members (how many people have joined)

• Average visits per member (are members visiting more than once already?)

• Redemption rate (have people started earning rewards yet?)

• Engagement trends (are sign-ups accelerating or slowing?)

What you're looking for:

• Clear, easy-to-understand data

• Metrics that help you make decisions

• Evidence that loyalty is changing customer behavior (even in small ways)

Your benchmarks will vary depending on your business type and location — for example, city and suburban cafés in Australia show dramatically different visit frequency patterns even when running identical programmes.

Good signs:

• You can easily understand the data

• You see measurable patterns (certain days are better for sign-ups, certain customers visit more frequently)

• You have ideas for how to optimize based on what you're seeing

Red flags:

• Data is confusing or unhelpful

• You can't tell if anything is working

• The dashboard doesn't answer basic questions like "who are my most active members?"

Priority 3: Test Support Responsiveness (Day 11–12)

Deliberately contact support with a question (even if you don't urgently need help).

Test:

• How quickly do they respond?

• Is the answer helpful and clear?

• Do they solve your problem, or send you in circles?

Good signs:

• Response within 24 hours (ideally same-day)

• Clear, helpful answers

• They solve your issue or clearly explain why something works a certain way

Red flags:

• No response for 48+ hours

• Automated/unhelpful responses

• You need to ask the same question multiple times

Priority 4: Calculate Preliminary ROI (Day 13)

Do basic math on whether this will pay for itself:

Simple ROI calculation:

1. Monthly cost: (e.g., £30/month for Perkstar)

2. New loyalty members during trial: (e.g., 87 members in 14 days = ~174/month at that rate)

3. Additional visits from campaign: (e.g., 12 people visited because of push notification)

4. Average transaction value: (e.g., £15)

5. Additional revenue from one campaign: 12 visits × £15 = £180

If one campaign in one week generated £180, and you can send 2–4 campaigns per month, you're looking at £360–£720/month in attributable revenue.

Cost: £30/month
Revenue: £360–£720/month
ROI: 12–24x

Even if your numbers are half this good, it's still worth it.

Red Flags vs Green Flags: What to Look For

Let's summarize what should make you confident versus what should make you hesitate.

🚩 Red Flags (Reasons to Walk Away)

• Customer adoption under 30% — If fewer than 1 in 3 customers join when directly asked, the friction is too high If adoption is below 30%, check whether the platform requires a separate app download — loyalty programmes without downloads consistently achieve 3–6x higher sign-up rates because there's no friction between the ask and the action.

• Staff resistance — If your team consistently avoids using it or complains it's too complicated

• Technical issues — If the scanner fails regularly, cards don't update, or the platform crashes

• Zero measurable response to campaigns — If you send notifications and literally no one responds

• Hidden limitations — If essential features are locked behind higher-priced tiers not mentioned in marketing

• Poor support — If you can't get help when you need it

• Confusing data — If the dashboard doesn't help you understand what's happening

✅ Green Flags (Reasons to Commit)

• Customer adoption above 50% — More than half of customers join when asked

• Staff enthusiasm — Your team uses it naturally and sees value

• Reliable performance — Everything works smoothly and consistently

• Measurable campaign response — Push notifications drive visits within 48 hours

• Clear data — You can see exactly what's happening and make informed decisions

• Responsive support — Help is available when you need it

• Clear ROI path — You can see how this will generate more revenue than it costs

You don't need perfection. You need enough green flags to outweigh any red flags.

Common Trial Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Mistake 1: Treating It Like a Practice Run

What people do: "I'll just set it up and see how it works. If I sign up later, I'll do it properly."

Why it fails: You get no meaningful data because you're not actually testing it in real conditions.

Fix: Run the trial exactly as you'd run the real program. Otherwise, you're wasting everyone's time.

Mistake 2: Not Involving Staff

What people do: Set it up alone, don't train staff, wonder why no one joins.

Why it fails: Customers won't discover loyalty programs on their own. Staff need to mention it.

Fix: Involve your team from day one. Make them part of the test.

Mistake 3: Waiting Until the Last Day to Test Features

What people do: Spend 13 days just signing up customers, then try to send a campaign on day 14.

Why it fails: You run out of time to see if campaigns work.

Fix: Send your first campaign by day 8–9. Give yourself time to see results and adjust.

Mistake 4: Judging Success on Feelings, Not Data

What people do: "It feels like it's going okay" or "I'm not sure if it's working."

Why it fails: Feelings aren't reliable. You need numbers. Instead of guessing, track the specific numbers that actually indicate loyalty is working — measuring your customer loyalty rates across metrics like visit frequency, redemption rate, and repeat purchase percentage gives you objective answers.

Fix: Define success criteria before you start. Check metrics daily. Make decisions based on data.

Mistake 5: Comparing Week 1 to Month 6 Expectations

What people do: "I only got 40 sign-ups in two weeks. That's not very many."

Why it fails: You're comparing a partial trial to mature programs.

Fix: Extrapolate realistically. If you got 40 sign-ups in 14 days with minimal promotion, you'd likely get 80–100/month with full implementation. Remember, a digital stamp card compounds in value over time — those 40 members will earn stamps, receive push notifications, and refer friends, creating a flywheel that barely exists in week one but drives significant revenue by month three. Is that acceptable? Base your decision on that.

Real-World Example: A Barbershop in Glasgow

Let's walk through a successful trial from start to finish.

The business: Traditional barbershop in Glasgow with ~60 customers per week.

The trial: 14-day free trial with Perkstar

Day 1:

• Owner spent 45 minutes setting up digital stamp card: 9 haircuts, 10th free

• Printed QR code for reception desk

• Showed two barbers how to scan cards (took 5 minutes)

• First 4 customers joined that day

Days 2–7:

• Barbers mentioned loyalty program to every customer

• 47 total customers joined by end of week 1

• Conversion rate: ~78% (47 out of ~60 customers asked)

• Zero technical issues

• Staff reported: "Really easy, customers get it immediately"

Day 8:

• Owner sent first push notification to all 47 members: "Thanks for joining! Here's 10% off your next cut this week."

• 8 customers booked appointments within 24 hours, citing the message

• Revenue from those 8 visits: £240

Days 9–14:

• 31 more customers joined (total: 78 members)

• 5 customers returned for second visits and got their second stamp

• Owner tested support by asking a question about automations (response in 2 hours, helpful answer) The owner later said the difference was having a dedicated account manager who helped configure the card on day one — something Perkstar's guided 14-day trial includes by default rather than leaving you to figure it out alone.

Day 13 (Decision Day):

Owner calculated:

• Platform cost: £25/month

• Loyalty members after 14 days: 78 (would likely be 150–160 after first full month)

• One campaign generated £240 in 24 hours

• If he sends 2–3 campaigns per month: £480–£720/month in attributable revenue

• ROI: 19–29x

Decision: Signed up immediately.

Owner's reflection (6 months later):

"The trial made it obvious this would work. Within a week, I could see customers were joining easily and staff could operate it without help. The push notification test was the clincher — 8 people booked within a day because of one message that took me 2 minutes to write. The math was simple after that."

How to Make Your Final Decision

On day 13 (or whatever day you scheduled), sit down and review:

Question 1: Did customers join at acceptable rates?

If 50%+ joined: Yes, this works for your customer base.
If under 30%: No, adoption is too low.

Question 2: Can your staff operate this consistently?

If they use it naturally without help: Yes, this is sustainable.
If they need constant reminders or complain: No, it's too complex for your team.

Question 3: Did push notifications drive measurable action?

If 5–15% of members responded to your test campaign: Yes, you have a channel that works.
If zero measurable response: No, the communication value isn't there.

Question 4: Does the ROI math make sense?

If attributable revenue exceeds cost by 5x or more: Yes, clear winner.
If revenue barely covers cost or doesn't: No, not worth it.

Question 5: Were there any dealbreaker red flags?

If no major technical issues, support problems, or hidden limitations: Yes, it's reliable.
If you hit serious problems: No, too risky.

If you answered "Yes" to 4 out of 5 questions, sign up.

If you answered "No" to 3 or more, don't sign up — but figure out why. Was it the platform, or did you not run the trial properly? If it was the platform, try a different one. If it was your execution, re-run the trial properly.

Final Thoughts: Trials Are Decision-Making Tools

A free trial isn't a demo. It's not a preview. It's a decision-making tool designed to give you confidence before you commit.

Most people waste trials because they treat them passively: "Let's see what happens."

The businesses that get value from trials treat them actively: "Let's test specific things and measure specific outcomes."

You now know:

• What to set up on day 1

• What to measure throughout

• What campaigns to run

• What red flags and green flags to look for

• How to calculate ROI

• How to make a confident decision

If you run your trial this way, you'll know — definitively — whether loyalty software makes sense for your business.

Start your free 14-day trial with Perkstar — no credit card required. Follow the framework in this guide, test properly, and make a data-driven decision by day 13.

The trial period isn't about trying. It's about knowing.