From Something You Want, To Something you “Need”
We’re all familiar with the coffee card right? Not so long ago the concept of the virtual coffee card was a “nice to have” for your business, but not something that you desperately “needed”.
Things are changing rapidly. Why? The answer is data.
We’re Waking Up to the Importance of Data
While big companies have been using customer information to capture audience attention for years, it’s only now that small business owners are feeling the onslaught of the big data giants. As Google and Facebook exert more and more control over our subs-conscious decision making process, it is all the more apparent that small businesses who aren’t playing the data game are being left behind.
But small businesses are fighting back. There’s a new movement in town, which is aptly named “data inclusion”. This refers to giving small businesses access to the data they need in order to be included in all the benefits of a digitally networked consumer market. Without this data, you can’t play the game. It’s like going to a football match without your helmet. If you enter the field, you are just going to get bruised without the right equipment.
Why Virtual Stamp Cards Are Crucial
Gone are the days when customers would give away their data for nothing. Now, there is a direct expectation that businesses will either NOT use customer data, or there must be explicit consent for businesses to collect and use their customer data.
And this is where online loyalty solutions like digital stamp cards and digital punch cards come into play. Loyalty cards are probably the best and cheapest way for small businesses to incentivize their customers to provide their contact details. Want a free meal on your 10th visit? Just add your virtual loyalty card to your mobile phone – and oh by the way, when you register, check a box letting us know you consent to us collecting your contact information.
Presto. In an instant, the virtual stamp card becomes the secret weapon which small businesses can use to collect customer information.
Why Data Is So Important
Data fuels a company’s ability to capture your customer’s attention on the platforms where they spend most of their time. This is their mobile phones. The average american spends around 5.8 hours per day on their mobile phone, and over half of that is on social media and watching YouTube videos. If small businesses want to stand a chance in capturing audience attention, they must use detailed customer information to specifically target their audience. These are all things you can do easily once you have your customer data. But it all starts at ground zero. Collecting the data in the first place. And the virtual stamp card, is your best bet in getting that particular job done.
