What Small Business Marketers Can Learn From the Resurgence of Loyalty Cards

When I was shopping yesterday in my home city of Bristol, I was struck by the unlikely resurrection of the store loyalty card. In the 2000s, I’d diligently carry around in my wallet a flush of cards that would let me rack up points which would one day, maybe, earn me a free lipstick or something.

Then those cards became a relic – something likely to appear on a “crazy things from the 2000s you’d forgotten about” list. Who carries a wallet anymore? Who can be bothered with a physical card that only earns you pennies with your purchases?

The zombie reawakening of member prices

Cut to the 2020s, when loyalty cards are back with a vengeance. Of course, they’re all apps now, which is still annoying clutter but in a digital way. You still only earn pennies per purchase, but the way they get you is with “member prices”. Buy this knife set from Robert Dyas for £20 – or, wait, would you rather only pay £15? Then you’ll need to join our club.

You may be gritting your teeth as you download the loyalty app, but the discount is too good to pass up.

What’s in it for the corporation who’s finagled their way onto your phone? Well, your data, naturally. But also your email address.

Everything old is new again

Loyalty card schemes, by my way of thinking, are just a new “in” to a type of marketing so old it feels fossilised: email marketing.

When I recommend that freelancers and small businesses do email marketing, people often look at me like I have a screw loose.

Yeah, bombarding people with spammy emails was fine when it was the 2000s and we were all diligently saving up points to get a free lipstick, but now? No way. We’ve moved on. Haven’t you heard of social media?

The decline of social media marketing

Yes, I have heard of social media. I’m old enough to remember MySpace. I’m old enough to recall that Facebook used to be where the cool young people hung out. I remember when Twitter was fresh and fun and a great way to get the word out about your business.

None of those things are true anymore.

Every social media platform has a shelf life. But you know what’s remained a constant? You still check your email every day.

The constancy of email marketing

Retailers who are flogging you loyalty cards and apps know that email remains an incredibly effective way to reach people.

Now you, a small business owner or freelancer or side hustler, don’t need the infrastructure of a loyalty app. But you should learn from the big boys. How?

Start building your own email list

I recommend adding a lead magnet to your website, where you give away a short PDF ebook or worksheet in exchange for an email address. A lead magnet is just a very simple loyalty card sign-up.

Once you’ve begun building your email list, think about how you could be communicating with prospective clients via email. Not in a spammy way, but by offering genuinely interesting and delightful content to them via their inbox.

If you’re looking to create an email marketing campaign that’s effective rather than infuriating, I’m here to help.