If ever there was a reward perfectly designed for the digital lifestyle, vouchers are it.
We live in a digitally transformed world. A world in which, thanks to mobile technology, the ability to establish a personal partnership with your customers, channel partners and employees is not only possible, but essential.
Mobile transactional technology, in particular, is enabling customers, channel partners and employees to interact with businesses and brands in ways that could never have been imagined just a decade ago.
Shareable, digital instant gratification
People are connected to multiple platforms, continually and simultaneously, and have grown accustomed to getting whatever they want instantly and digitally. And that’s what makes digital vouchers so effective as part of a rewards strategy. They satisfy that need for convenience and immediacy and can be experienced instantly, personally and immersively. Which is exactly the kind of rewards experience meaningful connections are made of.
What’s more, because of the ubiquitous nature of social media, these highly personalised reward experiences can easily be shared – turning a personal experience into a moment of collective celebration. What a boost for your people, your business and your brand.
They’re also pretty versatile
If you’re looking for ways to engage and reward your customers or surprise and delight your employees, digital vouchers fit the bill perfectly. They can be used in competitions, giveaways and promotions, or to launch a new product. They’re also a great way to recognise and reward employees for great work, and celebrate birthdays and anniversaries.
There are lots of ways to surprise and delight with the right digital vouchers.
- Trade shows. Here’s where you separate genuine customer prospects from trade show freebie collectors. Meet, engage, take names and numbers. And then show your genuine wish to reconnect back at home base with a small token of thanks – like a gourmet coffee voucher? Trendy restaurant voucher? Whatever suits.
- Brand activations. The hype, the excitement, the opportunity to make a big brand statement. Make it an event to remember with on-the-spot digital voucher give-aways. Fun!
- Sales sprints. It’s a flavour of branded cash, after all, and is there a sales person on earth who wouldn’t give a good sprint performance for a cash reward? Think about recognising first, second and third place achievements with suitably valued vouchers.
- Anniversaries. More than a way to mark time, anniversaries are the way we mark achievements, relationships, significant events and commitments. Honour personal milestones with a gift voucher for a full-family celebration at a local restaurant.
- Appreciation. Take a minute and think about the people who give above-and-beyond customer service, always smile under pressure, make your day a pleasure and your business a success. You needn’t wait for a Hallmark holiday to show appreciation. Surprise and delight in the moment with a voucher. A personal pamper day? A round of golf at the local club, maybe?
- Birthdays. Everybody has just one special day in the year. Celebrate and recognise your staff, customers and partners with special gift vouchers. Maybe tucked inside a birthday card and delivered with a song?
- Loyalty club draws. Keep loyalty club members active and engaged in your loyalty program with special prize draws. You know best when participation needs a boost, so plan a communication blitz, hype your event and get your members jazzed to visit, shop and enter to win voucher prizes.
Whatever your reward scenario, vouchers will bring instant gratification to the experience, not to mention super surprise and delight. That’s what makes them a great choice for building engagement and driving sales in the consumer space; and attracting, retaining and motivating staff in the people management space. And at a time when so many people are learning the ropes of working remotely, voucher rewards can help you keep your ‘work from home’ team strong, focused and motivated.
And that’s just a start. Here are six good reasons to add vouchers to your rewards list.
1. The choice is yours
These days, you’re not limited to a few retailers when it comes to choosing your digital vouchers. As payment and point-of-sale technology has developed, the range of retailers able to accept and redeem vouchers in-store has grown and continues to grow. Digital vouchers are now available across retail categories – from fashion, beauty and pharmaceuticals to grocery stores, restaurants and fast food outlets.
This variety means you can be strategic in your choice of vouchers. For example, if you’re giving a recognition award to an employee who’s an avid runner, a sizable voucher for a sports store is probably a pretty good bet. Similarly, if you’re using vouchers as a sign up bonus, or competition prizes for customers, make sure they’re aligned with your brand and will resonate with your target market.
2. They’re budget friendly
One of the most attractive features of digital vouchers is their easy and instant delivery – they’re sent directly to the recipient’s cellphone via SMS or via email to their inbox. Merchandise rewards, on the other hand, have a number of costs and logistics involved in simply getting the product out of the warehouse and into the customer’s hands. With none of these processes involved in electronic delivery, digital vouchers are a convenient and cost-effective option for brand and HR managers with tight budgets to manage.
3. And easy to redeem
While digital vouchers are easy to deliver, a significant benefit for the recipient is that they’re just as easy to redeem. Once a voucher reaches their inbox, all they need to do is head to the store, present it and redeem their reward. And unlike physical vouchers, which are likely to get shoved into a back pocket and lost in the wash, or stuck in a drawer and forgotten about, digital vouchers are safely stored on their cell phone until they’re ready to use them.
4. Plus, they can be personalised
Far from being an indifferent or low-effort gift, vouchers can actually be highly targeted and easy to personalise. The ever-growing number of retailers who accept and redeem vouchers means that you can choose exactly the right category for your target market. Giving someone a voucher for a brand you know they love seems pretty personal. Plus, you’re giving them the added benefit of choice when they use it. And there’s another way you can add a personal touch. Since digital vouchers are delivered via SMS or email, you can address the recipient directly and add a custom message.
5. Digital vouchers can also be a useful brand activation tool
Let’s say you’re planning an in-store brand activation to launch a new make-up range. Doing product giveaways via instant digital vouchers is a great way to get customers to engage with your promotion, try your products, and hopefully form a positive connection with your brand. After all, who doesn’t like free stuff?
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6. And don’t forget the brand connection benefits
Whether your brand is high-end or cheap and cheerful, you’ve worked hard to position it in the mind of the consumer. So don’t be afraid to be picky when choosing retail vouchers to use for your employees, customers or sales partners.
For example, if you’re a brand manager for a luxury fashion label and you’ve decided to give skin care vouchers as a reward to loyal customers, going the budget beauty route is likely to disappoint. On the other hand, choosing a high-end brand for your vouchers could help to strengthen and support your positioning.
Who doesn’t love a voucher?
From mobile vouchers for airtime and data, to in-store shopping and unforgettable experiences, digital vouchers guarantee instant impact and high personal appeal.
Are you ready to add digital vouchers to your reward list? GET Rewards offers the largest range in South Africa. So get in touch and let’s talk about how we can help you surprise and delight your customers, employees and sales partners with instantly gratifying digital voucher rewards.
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