Customers keep your business afloat. As a business owner, it’s important to remember that or your customers will go elsewhere. Loyalty programs are nothing new, but they are more important than ever in today’s economy.

The detriment of most customer loyalty programs is that they are complicated. Customers don’t want complicated. An excellent example of a simple loyalty program is the Kroger gas points. You get 10 cents off per gallon for every 100 points you earn in purchases. For instance, $100 in groceries equals 100 points.
You can establish a similar, simple customer loyalty program without issuing a card to customers (as in the Kroger example). Text messaging marketing is a simple way to provide customers value and build loyalty.

Here are a few ways you can start a customer loyalty program using SMS marketing:

1. Customer feedback.  Instead of sending your customer home to take a survey online or to call a survey number, you can ask them about their recent purchase via text message. It’s personal and quick.
2. Secret offers. One of the main reasons customers join loyalty programs is that they want to get insider pricing or special offers. Offering loyalty program deals and secret sales are a great way to make them feel special. And, texting is the ultimate personalized communication. Way better than email or Facebook.
3. Monthly drawings. Want to build customer loyalty and add numbers to your list? Hold a monthly drawing for a $50 gift card to your business. Just be sure to explain the opt-in policy.
4. Competitions.  Make being a loyal customer fun and inviting. Send a riddle and the first customer to solve it via text message can get a small gift from your business the next time they come in. All they have to do is show you the text. Again, way better than killing trees by printing emails.
5. Sneak peeks. Give customers on your SMS list the VIP treatment. Invite this list to exclusive showings or give them first notification of tickets to hot events.

Textingly is a text message marketing service who helps small businesses send text messages to their customers via the web. Visit us at Textingly.com to sign up for a free account. Follow us on Twitter , be part of our Facebook community and watch us on YouTube .  

Amanda Brandon is a feature writer for Textingly. Follow her on Twitter at @ACBCreative.