Creating and Managing Promotions: Card Takeovers, Limits, and Notifications
Overview
Promotions let you run time-limited campaigns that display special offers directly on your customers' digital cards. When a promotion is active, the card design changes to highlight your offer, and customers receive push notifications about the promotion's start and end.
What you can do with promotions:
Run seasonal campaigns (holidays, special events)
Boost engagement during slow periods
Reward loyal customers with exclusive offers
Test different promotional strategies
Drive urgency with limited-time offers
Track redemption rates per promotion
How Promotions Work
When you create a promotion, it temporarily replaces the standard card design with promotional branding. Customers can redeem the promotion through their card or at your location via the scanner app. You control which card templates the promotion applies to, how many times each customer can use it, and the total number of redemptions allowed.
Creating a Promotion
Before You Begin
Prepare your promotion image: 1125 x 432 pixels minimum, PNG format, maximum 3 MB
Define your offer: What are you promoting and what value does it provide?
Set clear limits: Decide on per-customer and total redemption limits
Choose templates: Determine which card types the promotion applies to
Step-by-Step: Create a Promotion
Step 1: Navigate to Promotions
Go to the Promotions section in your dashboard.
Step 2: Enter Basic Information
Promotion Name: Choose a clear, descriptive name (this is what staff see in the scanner)
Description: Explain the offer in customer-friendly language
Card Display Fields: Select which information appears on the promotional card (customer name, points balance, etc.)
Step 3: Configure Notifications
Set up automatic push notifications for promotion start (alert customers when the offer goes live) and promotion end (create urgency as the promotion expires). Customize notification timing and messaging.
Step 4: Upload Promotional Image
Add your branded promotion image. Requirements: Minimum 1125 x 432 pixels, PNG format only, 3 MB maximum. The image replaces the standard card background during the promotion. Use the preview tab to see how it looks on a phone.
Step 5: Set Usage Limits
Per-Customer Limit: How many times each customer can redeem (e.g., "1 use per customer")
Total Usage Limit: Maximum redemptions across all customers (e.g., "First 100 customers")
These limits prevent promotion abuse and help manage campaign costs.
Step 6: Select Card Templates
Choose which card template(s) the promotion applies to.
:::important Each template can only have one active promotion at a time. If a template already has a promotion, you must end it first. :::
Step 7: Activate the Promotion
When everything is configured, set the status to Active. The promotion goes live immediately and customers receive start notifications.
How Promotions Appear to Customers
On the Customer's Phone
The card background changes to your promotional image. Selected display fields (balance, name, etc.) appear over the promotional design. The promotion is prominently featured in their digital wallet.
During Redemption
In the customer account: Customers can redeem the promotion themselves if enabled.
Via scanner app: Staff see the promotion with usage counters displayed as "X/Y" (customer uses / total remaining).
Example in scanner:
"Summer Sale - 20% Off"
Usage: 2/5 (customer has used 2 of their 5 allowed redemptions)
Remaining: 847/1000 (847 total redemptions left of 1000)
Managing Active Promotions
Viewing Promotion Performance
Track total redemptions in real-time, monitor per-customer usage, and see which templates are currently running promotions.
Editing Promotions
You can modify inactive promotions freely. For active promotions, changes may affect customer experience.
:::tip End current promotion and create a new one for major changes. :::
Ending a Promotion
Change status from Active to Inactive. Customers receive end notifications if configured. Card design reverts to standard template. Redemption data remains available for analysis.
Best Practices
Promotion Design
Clear value proposition: Make the offer obvious at a glance.
High-contrast images: Ensure text/fields remain readable over promotional background.
Brand consistency: Use colors and design elements that match your business.
Mobile-optimized: Test how the image looks on different phone sizes.
Strategic Planning
Limit scarcity: Use total limits to create urgency ("First 100 customers").
Customer fairness: Set per-customer limits to prevent stockpiling.
Timing: Schedule promotions around slow periods or special events.
Notification timing: Send start notifications early enough for customers to plan.
Redemption Management
Staff training: Ensure employees understand how to process promotions in the scanner.
Clear terms: Communicate any restrictions or conditions upfront.
Monitor progress: Watch redemption rates and adjust future campaigns accordingly.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Setting limits too high (reduces urgency) or too low (frustrates customers)
Overlapping promotions on the same template
Promotional images with poor contrast (fields become unreadable)
Insufficient notification lead time
Running promotions too frequently (reduces special feeling)
Troubleshooting
Can't Activate Promotion
Check: Another promotion may already be active on the selected template.
Solution: End the existing promotion first, or choose a different template.
Promotion Image Doesn't Display Correctly
Check: Image meets requirements (1125 x 432 px minimum, PNG format, under 3 MB).
Check: Text fields have sufficient contrast with the image.
Solution: Use a darker or lighter background, or adjust field placement.
Customers Aren't Receiving Notifications
Check: Customers have notifications enabled for your app.
Check: Notification settings are configured in the promotion.
Solution: Test with a sample customer first, encourage customers to enable notifications.
Scanner Shows Incorrect Usage Counts
Refresh: Sometimes scanners need to sync with the server.
Check: Ensure stable internet connection.
Solution: Force close and reopen the scanner app.
Can't Apply Promotion to Multiple Templates
Limitation: You must create separate promotions for each template if you want different campaigns.
Workaround: Create one promotion that applies to multiple templates if they should share the same offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run multiple promotions at the same time?
Yes, but each card template can only have one active promotion at a time. You can run simultaneous promotions on different templates.
What happens when a promotion reaches its limit?
The promotion automatically becomes unavailable for redemption. Customers see that the promotion has ended. The card design reverts to the standard template.
Can customers see how many redemptions are left?
In the scanner app, staff can see remaining redemptions. Customers don't see total limits, but they can see their personal usage if you display that field.
Do promotions work with all card types?
Yes, promotions can be applied to any card template (stamp cards, cashback cards, reward cards, etc.).
Can I schedule a promotion to start in the future?
Currently, promotions activate immediately when set to Active. Plan to manually activate the promotion when you're ready to launch.
What if I need to end a promotion early?
Simply change the status to Inactive. Customers who haven't used their redemptions will lose access, so communicate any early endings to avoid frustration.
Can I reuse a promotion image for future campaigns?
Yes, you can create a new promotion and upload the same image file.
How do I track which promotion performed best?
Review redemption counts for each promotion. Higher redemption rates indicate more effective campaigns.
Need help with promotion strategy?
Consider testing different offers, limits, and timing to discover what resonates most with your customers.