10 Unique Ways to Reward Customers Beyond Discounts

If you're reading this, you probably already understand that loyal customers are worth more than new ones. They spend more per visit, cost less to serve, and tell their friends about you without being asked. The question isn't whether to reward loyalty—it's how to do it in ways that actually resonate.

The standard approach is simple: buy enough stuff, get something free. And that works. But it's also what everyone else is doing. If you want your rewards programme to genuinely stand out—to create moments that customers remember and talk about—you need to think beyond discounts and freebies.

This guide explores ten creative approaches to customer rewards that go further than the typical "buy 9, get 1 free" model. Some require a loyalty programme to implement effectively; others can be done right now, regardless of your current setup. All of them share one thing in common: they make customers feel genuinely valued, not just incentivised.

1. Reward Customers with Gifts from Other Local Businesses

The obvious approach to rewards is offering your own products or services for free. And there's nothing wrong with that—a free coffee from a café or a discount at a salon has clear value.

But here's an unexpected alternative: reward your customers with vouchers to other local businesses.

A restaurant might offer a gift card to the independent cinema down the street. A gym could partner with a nearby smoothie bar. A bookshop might include vouchers for the coffee shop next door.

Why this works:

It signals that you care about more than just getting customers to spend more with you. You're improving their day in a way that has nothing to do with your bottom line. That generosity builds genuine goodwill.

It also positions your business as part of a community, not just a transaction. Customers notice when businesses support each other, and they tend to support those businesses in return.

How to implement it:

Reach out to complementary local businesses and propose a simple exchange: you'll promote them to your customers, they'll promote you to theirs. The cost is minimal (a few vouchers each), but the community goodwill and cross-promotion can be substantial.

2. Give Your Best Customers "Firsts"

Exclusive access is one of the most powerful rewards you can offer—and it often costs nothing.

"Firsts" means giving loyal customers priority: first look at new products, first access to sales, first invitations to events. It's about making them feel like insiders rather than just regular customers.

Examples of "firsts" you can offer:

• Early access to new menu items or products before the general public

• First pick of sale items before the discount goes live publicly

• Invitations to preview events, tastings, or product launches

• Opportunity to test prototypes and give feedback that shapes the final product

• Behind-the-scenes content that regular customers don't see

Why this works:

Exclusive access taps into something deeper than material rewards. It makes customers feel valued and trusted. When you invite someone to try a new product before anyone else, you're saying "your opinion matters to us"—and that strengthens the relationship far more than a simple discount.

How to implement it:

Use your loyalty programme to identify your most engaged customers, then send them personalised invitations before public announcements. Perkstar's segmentation features let you target specific customer groups with exclusive offers and early access notifications.

3. Run Prize Draws Exclusively for Loyalty Members

Everyone likes the chance to win something, especially when entering requires zero effort. A regular prize draw for loyalty programme members creates ongoing excitement and gives customers a reason to stay enrolled even between purchases.

Why this works:

Prize draws capitalise on what marketers call "surprise and delight"—unexpected positive moments that create disproportionate goodwill. The anticipation of potentially winning is itself enjoyable, regardless of the outcome.

There's also a practical benefit: prize draws generate social media buzz. Winners typically share their good fortune, which promotes your programme to their network and attracts new sign-ups.

How to implement it:

Set up a weekly or monthly draw exclusively for loyalty members. The prize doesn't need to be expensive—a free product, a significant discount, or an exclusive experience all work. Announce winners on social media to maximise visibility.

Digital loyalty platforms make this easy to administer. You can select random winners from your member database and automatically notify them through push notifications.

4. Temporarily Upgrade Customers to a Higher Tier

If you run a tiered loyalty programme—where different membership levels unlock different benefits—one of the most effective rewards is showing lower-tier members what they're missing.

Give occasional customers a temporary taste of VIP status. Let them experience premium benefits for a week or a month, then return them to their regular tier.

Why this works:

Once someone experiences a better level of service, going back feels like a downgrade. This isn't manipulation—it's simply demonstrating value. If your premium tier genuinely offers worthwhile benefits, letting customers experience those benefits removes uncertainty and builds desire.

Streaming services use this approach constantly with free premium trials. The same psychology works for any tiered programme.

How to implement it:

Select customers who are close to qualifying for the next tier, or who have been loyal but not quite at VIP level. Send them a notification explaining they've been upgraded temporarily as a thank-you. Make sure they know what the upgrade includes and how they can maintain that status permanently.

5. Name Products After Your Most Loyal Customers

This one takes creativity, but the impact can be remarkable. Instead of generic product names, name items after the customers who love them most.

A café could name a signature drink after a regular. A restaurant could let loyal customers create a dish and add it to the menu under their name. A retail shop could feature "Customer Picks" sections highlighting products chosen by specific members.

Why this works:

This type of reward gives customers something to talk about. Being immortalised in a menu or product line is genuinely special—it creates a story worth sharing. And share they will, generating organic promotion that no advertising budget can match.

It also involves customers in your brand in a deeper way. They become collaborators, not just consumers.

Examples of creative implementation:

• "Alex's Favourite" as a menu item for your most frequent customer

• Customer-designed specials that run for a limited time

• Voting programmes where loyal members choose which new product launches

• "Created by [Customer Name]" labels on featured items

How to implement it:

Start by identifying your most engaged customers through your loyalty data. Reach out personally with the invitation. Make the experience feel exclusive and special, not like a marketing gimmick.

6. Celebrate Their Loyalty Anniversary

Your customers remember when they started coming to you. Acknowledging that anniversary shows you remember too.

Configure your loyalty platform to recognise the date each customer joined, then automatically send a personalised reward on that anniversary. A year of loyalty deserves recognition—and the second year, and the third.

Why this works:

Anniversary rewards shift the relationship from transactional to personal. You're not just acknowledging purchases; you're acknowledging the relationship itself. This creates emotional connection that discount-only programmes can't match.

It also differentiates your programme. Most loyalty schemes only reward recent spending. Celebrating the length of the relationship feels more meaningful.

How to implement it:

Digital loyalty platforms like Perkstar can automate anniversary rewards entirely. Set up the reward once, and every member receives their anniversary gift automatically—no manual tracking required. The same approach works for birthday rewards, creating multiple touchpoints throughout the year that feel personal rather than promotional.

7. Link Loyalty Points to Charitable Giving

Today's customers increasingly care about how businesses behave, not just what they sell. Connecting your loyalty programme to charitable causes aligns your rewards with these values.

The approach can take several forms: letting customers donate their points to charity, matching points with equivalent charitable contributions, or rewarding customers who participate in sustainability initiatives.

Examples:

• Allow customers to redeem points as donations to a charity of their choice

• Match a percentage of points earned with donations to local causes

• Offer bonus points for customers who bring reusable containers or return packaging

• Support a specific charity and show customers the collective impact of member contributions

Why this works:

Values-aligned rewards build deeper loyalty than purely transactional benefits. When customers know their participation supports causes they care about, the programme becomes about more than free stuff—it becomes about shared purpose.

This approach also differentiates your business. Many customers will choose a brand that reflects their values over one that simply offers the best discount.

How to implement it:

Choose causes that authentically connect to your business and customer base. A coffee shop might support fair trade farmers; a fitness studio might support youth sports programmes; a salon might support local women's charities. The connection should feel genuine, not opportunistic.

8. Share Your Customers' Stories

Your customers have stories worth telling. Why not make them part of your brand narrative?

With permission, feature loyal customers in your marketing—their photos, their stories, their reasons for choosing you. Turn customers into protagonists rather than anonymous members.

Why this works:

Being featured by a business you love is genuinely flattering. It creates a sense of belonging and recognition that transactional rewards can't provide. Customers who are featured become even more loyal—and they share that content widely.

It also creates authentic marketing material. Real customer stories resonate far more than polished corporate messaging. Prospective customers trust the experiences of people like them.

How to implement it:

Reach out to your most engaged loyalty members and ask if they'd be willing to share their story. Keep it simple: why do they choose you? What do they love about your business? Feature these stories on social media, in your shop, or on your website.

Consider connecting this to prize draws—enter to win by sharing your story—to generate participation. Offer bonus points or rewards for those whose stories you feature.

9. Partner with Complementary Businesses

Single-business loyalty programmes are valuable. Multi-business partnerships are transformational.

When you partner with businesses that share your customers but don't compete with you, the value of your programme multiplies. Customers can earn and redeem across multiple locations, creating an ecosystem rather than isolated points.

How partnerships might work:

• A gym partners with a health food shop and a physiotherapy clinic

• A café partners with a bookshop and a stationery store

• A salon partners with a cosmetics brand and a spa

• A restaurant partners with a local theatre and a wine shop

Why this works:

Partnership programmes integrate into customers' lifestyles rather than existing as separate transactions. When your loyalty programme connects to multiple parts of their routine, engagement deepens across all participating businesses.

Partnerships also provide mutual promotion. Each business introduces the partnership to their existing customers, expanding everyone's reach without additional marketing spend.

How to implement it:

Identify local businesses that serve similar customers without competing directly. Propose a simple arrangement: mutual promotion and shared rewards. This doesn't require complex technology—even basic cross-promotion ("Show your [Partner] loyalty card for 10% off") creates value.

10. Educate Customers on Maximising Their Rewards

Here's a reward that costs nothing: useful information.

Create content that helps customers get more value from your products, services, and loyalty programme itself. Tips for maximising points, guides to your best offerings, tutorials on product use—anything that makes their experience better.

Why this works:

Genuinely helpful content builds trust. When you teach customers how to maximise their rewards—even if it means they redeem more—you demonstrate that you're on their side. That trust translates to long-term loyalty.

Educational content also drives programme engagement. Customers who understand how to earn and redeem efficiently participate more actively than those who don't.

Examples:

• A guide to earning the most stamps during bonus periods

• Tips for combining rewards with seasonal promotions

• Tutorials on getting the most from your products

• Behind-the-scenes content explaining how your business operates

• "Insider knowledge" about menu items, services, or products

How to implement it:

Create a simple content strategy: one piece of helpful content per week, distributed through email, push notifications, or social media. It doesn't need to be elaborate—even a short tip in a push notification adds value.

The Most Important Strategy: Ask Your Customers

Before we wrap up, there's one more approach that underlies all the others: ask your customers what they actually want.

You might be amazed how many businesses design elaborate reward structures without ever asking their most loyal customers what would actually motivate them. The answer might be different from what you expect.

How to do it:

Send a simple survey to your top customers. Ask what rewards they'd find most valuable, what would make them visit more often, and what they wish your programme offered. Then actually implement what they tell you.

This feedback loop ensures your programme evolves based on real customer preferences rather than assumptions. It also makes customers feel heard—which is itself a form of reward.

Bringing Unique Rewards to Life

These ten approaches share a common thread: they treat customers as people with preferences, values, and stories—not just as transaction sources to be optimised.

The best loyalty programmes combine reliable core benefits (earn stamps, get rewards) with occasional special touches that create memorable moments. A customer who earns their free coffee every month is satisfied. A customer who also gets featured in your marketing, receives anniversary gifts, and benefits from local business partnerships is genuinely loyal.

A digital loyalty platform like Perkstar gives you the foundation to implement many of these strategies: automated birthday and anniversary rewards, customer segmentation for targeted offers, push notifications for surprise rewards, and the data to identify your most engaged members. From that foundation, you can build as much creativity as your business allows.

If you're ready to go beyond basic rewards and create a programme that genuinely stands out, start with your 14-day free trial—no credit card required—and see what's possible.

Start your free trial at Perkstar →

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a customer reward "unique" versus standard?

Standard rewards are transactional: spend money, get discount. Unique rewards go beyond transactions to create emotional connection. This includes experiences (early access, exclusive events), recognition (being featured, anniversary celebrations), values alignment (charitable giving, community support), and personalisation (named products, story sharing). Unique rewards make customers feel valued as individuals, not just as sales figures.

Do unique rewards cost more than standard discounts?

Not necessarily. Many unique rewards cost little or nothing: early access to products, featuring customers in marketing, educational content, anniversary messages with personalised offers. Others, like prize draws or charitable matching, can be budgeted in advance. The key is that perceived value often exceeds actual cost—being featured on social media or getting first access to a sale feels more special than its monetary equivalent.

How do I decide which unique rewards to offer?

Start by understanding what your customers value. Survey your most loyal members about what would make them feel appreciated. Consider your brand values and what aligns authentically with your business. Then test different approaches and measure response. Not every unique reward works for every business—a community partnership might suit a local café better than a corporate chain, for example.

Can I implement unique rewards without a digital loyalty platform?

Some, yes. You can partner with local businesses, feature customers on social media, or create educational content without any technology. However, approaches that require automation (anniversary rewards, segmentation for early access, prize draw selection) work much better with a digital platform. The data from a loyalty programme also helps you identify which customers should receive unique rewards.

How often should I offer unique rewards versus standard ones?

Standard rewards (stamps, points, predictable discounts) should form the foundation—they're reliable and easily understood. Unique rewards work best as occasional special touches: anniversary celebrations once a year, prize draws monthly, customer features quarterly. Too many unique rewards dilute their specialness. Think of them as the memorable highlights, not the everyday experience.

What's the easiest unique reward to implement immediately?

Anniversary or birthday rewards are the simplest starting point if you have a digital loyalty platform—they can be fully automated once configured. If you don't have a platform yet, customer features on social media require only permission and a photo. Either approach creates meaningful recognition with minimal ongoing effort.