Building your brand awareness and equity needs to be a key part of any business strategy, since it affects your success in marketing, sales, public relations and more. To grow positive brand equity, you should consider a combination of tactics, including using digital e-gift cards for rewards and payments.
New technology — whether it’s for distributing loyalty rewards, accepting payments, or providing fast support — is becoming increasingly important to your customers’ experiences and perceptions. Here’s how implementing digital e-gift cards as rewards can help improve those experiences and perceptions.
READ MORE: Using Rewards in Every Department to Drive Organizational Goals
Consumers prefer the convenience of digital e-gift cards and prepaid cards because they arrive quickly and in a form that can be used right away. Two-thirds of U.S. consumers — and more than three-quarters of Millennials and Gen Z — say digital prepaid cards are the payment option that most excites them, according to our Blackhawk Network (BHN) research. Another BHN survey on promotions and rebates finds that 89% would prefer to do business digitally because it’s faster and easier.
If you offer customers a coupon with their purchase or even a physical gift card, the transaction ends there. But when you issue digital rewards, you set the stage for additional touchpoints. To receive their digital e-gift cards, they’ll need to provide their additional details — at the very least, their contact information — that you can use to tailor your communication and interactions with them going forward. Consumers prefer brands that give them personalized experiences, so consider the opportunity to tailor messaging based on each person’s geographic location, previous purchases, interests and more.
A big part of building your brand is the perception that customers and prospects have about your business. If you use newer payment technologies and loyalty rewards, such as digital e-gift cards, they’re more likely to see you as a company that is constantly innovative and adaptable. On the other hand, if you still offer paper coupons or rebates by check, for example, they may think that your company as a whole is behind the times.
To keep customers coming back and turn them into brand advocates, it helps build an emotional connection with them. By offering digital e-gift cards and other rewards and perks as part of exclusive promotions, you can create a sense of belonging and make loyal buyers feel special. Ask them to share their experiences and reviews on social media for even more reach.
After you’ve built a strong brand that fosters loyalty, you can take your success even further by offering digital e-gift cards for your promotions, appeasements and customer programs. Check out these blogs with more ideas and tips:
BHN Rewards can help you give your customers the experience they want and grow your brand — without a lot of extra hassle. Request a demo today!
Hannah is a reformed journalist who has more than 15 years of experience and now focuses on content marketing for innovative tech companies.
Hannah is a reformed journalist who has more than 15 years of experience and now focuses on content marketing for innovative tech companies.
