Ten rewards that really bring customers back

A good reward isn’t measured by what it costs you, but by what it says. A customer rarely talks about 10% off. They talk about the croissant they were given because they come in every morning.

What works

1. Your signature product, free. The thing people come to you for, not your cheapest item.
2. The large size at the small size price. Costs little, gets noticed a lot.
3. Something on the side, free. The cake with the tea, the sauce with the chips.
4. A first taste of something new. Trying it before everyone else flatters more than a discount does.
5. A choice. Three possible rewards, and the customer takes the one that speaks to them.
6. One gesture for two people. A shared reward brings someone new through the door.
7. Your morning coffee for a week. A reward that builds a habit, not a one-off.
8. A card on their birthday. Rare, and never forgotten.
9. Skipping the queue. Costs nothing and gets seen.
10. Your name on the board. Among regulars, being recognised is worth as much as the product.

What doesn’t work

A discount doesn’t build loyalty: it teaches the customer to wait for the next one.

Discounts train your best customers to stop paying full price. A reward, on the other hand, comes after the purchase: it rewards a habit instead of buying a visit.

The rule to remember

If you can’t say your reward in six words across the counter, it’s too complicated. "Your tenth coffee is free" sticks. "5% cumulative discount on presentation of your card" doesn’t.