The saturation of brands in China paves the way for an overwhelming array of choices in almost every industry segment. Businesses, especially on WeChat, tend to differentiate themselves through various strategies, such as WeChat loyalty programs. The concept of loyalty programs has taken off quite well in China as it helps in generating sales from returning customers. Loyalty programs are exclusive programs and mostly unique to the brand in question. They give brands a competitive advantage, reducing the likelihood that a customer may switch stores.
WeChat loyalty programs require strategy, consistency, and clear communication. They can help brands better understand their customers by keeping them connected to the brand at all touchpoints, offering a seamless experience.
Rewardable Behaviours on WeChat
There is immense value in integrating your loyalty program into your WeChat official account, thanks to coupon sharing, mini-program shopping, and QR code scanning. Since most of WeChat’s social functions (visits, reads, likes, recommendations, etc.) are already familiar to users, every interaction is rewardable.
5 Rewardable Behaviours on WeChat:
-
Loyalty binding
It consists of asking potential customers to link their WeChat Union ID, phone number and Member ID to a WeChat loyalty mini-program, enabling the possibility to identify customers among followers. Doing this can help provide more personalized experiences and capture critical customer data.
-
Profile completion
Members with a complete profile can be rewarded with points or a coupon towards their next product or service purchase. It can also provide your business with key demographics like age, gender, and income level; their geographical information; their personal preferences, and their purchasing habits. Beauty retailers such as Caudalie and Innisfree all use their members’ date of birth to reward them with birthday benefits, whether it be a gift or a coupon.
-
Daily check-in
This rewardable behavior encourages members to check-in to the loyalty program on a regular basis. In doing so, members can receive rewards such as points or daily offers. Beauty brand Inoherb offers its members points for checking into the loyalty program each day. Members can receive one point per daily visit, and an additional seven points for checking in for seven consecutive days.
-
Content posting
Asking your customer or members to post pictures, comment on a broadcasted post, or tag your brand/product on social media can help build stronger relationships and trust among your customers. Such content is referred to as UGC (User-generated Content) and businesses can take advantage of the WeChat Ecosystem to encourage their members to take part with their WeChat Official Account by leaving a comment or posting pictures of products.
-
Brand events/Invites
With word-of-mouth marketing, Chinese consumers are more likely to engage with a brand event or product if it is shared from someone they know. Points or coupons can be rewarded for sharing or even inviting other people to the event.