How to Get Customers to Join Your Loyalty Program (Even If No One Has Yet)

You’ve launched your loyalty program, and you’re excited — maybe even proud. You’ve chosen a great reward, it’s all set up... but hardly anyone’s joining.

You're not alone.

Many small businesses face this challenge, especially cafes, salons, and retail stores. The good news? The problem is usually not your business; it's the design, promotion, or timing of your loyalty program. And all of that is fixable.

This guide will walk you through why customers aren’t joining, and more importantly, how to fix it — step-by-step, using features from the Stamp Me loyalty platform, real business examples, and simple marketing tips that work.

Why Loyalty Programs Fail to Gain Traction

Before we talk about solutions, it’s essential to identify what might be going wrong. Here are five of the most common reasons customers don’t join and how to address them.

1. The Sign-Up Process Is Too Complicated

If joining your loyalty program requires more than a minute or too many steps, many customers will opt out before they even begin.

Fix: Think a Join Code, which customers can scan in-store to go directly to the app store and download your loyalty app. Once they enter their details, they’re instantly connected to your program — no paperwork, no hassle.

2. No One Knows It Exists

A loyalty program without any promotion is like a great product sitting in a back room — invisible and unused.

Fix: Use custom or pre-made in-store marketing materials — things like posters, flyers, and Canva templates — to make your program highly visible at the counter, entrance, and packaging.

3. Staff Aren’t Talking About It

If your staff don’t mention the program, most customers won’t either.

Fix: Give your team access to a quick-start staff guide and short training video to help them confidently promote the program and answer common questions. It’s a small effort with a big impact.

4. The Reward Isn’t Clear or Compelling

“Earn stamps” is vague. “Get a free coffee after 5 visits” is clear.

Fix: Offer specific, easy-to-understand rewards with minimal friction. You can even incentivise initial sign-ups with a bonus (e.g. “Sign up today and get 10% off your purchase”).

5. You Launched It and Forgot About It

Programs that aren’t promoted regularly fade into the background.

Fix: Schedule regular social media reminders, include loyalty mentions in email newsletters, and add a flyer to your delivery packaging. Frequency builds familiarity.

Part 1: How to Attract Sign-Ups at Launch (Initial Onboarding)

When you first launch your program, you need a strong push to generate sign-ups.

Here’s how to make that happen:

 1. Use the ‘Invite Members’ Feature

Stamp Me’s Invite Members tool lets you send email invitations directly from your Merchant Console — no need for external platforms.

• Use the built-in email builder to add your logo, custom message, and a featured image.
• Each invite includes a QR code and a clickable app download button.
• Works seamlessly on desktop and mobile.
• Track open rates, delivery success, and bounce rates via your dashboard.

2. Promote In-Store with Visuals

Set up marketing collateral at every touchpoint:

• Posters near checkout
• Tabletop tent cards
• Stickers on takeaway packaging
• Flyers with Join Code

Make it impossible to miss.

3. Include Join Cards in Deliveries

If you’re an online store, delivery service, or takeaway business:

• Include Join Cards or Flyers in your packages.
• Don’t forget to add your Join Code and brief instructions.

This passive method builds awareness with minimal effort.

4. Train Staff with Ready-to-Use Resources

Your team doesn’t need hours of training. Just share Stamp Me’s:

• Quick-start guide
• Short, shareable staff training video

Set expectations that every customer is told about the loyalty program.

Part 2: How to Keep Attracting New Members (Ongoing Promotion)

Once your program is live, don’t let it fade into the background. Keep it fresh and top-of-mind with these tactics:

1. Promote It Regularly on Social Media

Social media is not a one-and-done. You need to:

• Post consistently
• Share stories and reels of customers earning or redeeming rewards
• Use Stamp Me’s pre-made social media images from your Merchant Console

Tip: Encourage user-generated content — customers tagging you when they earn rewards.

2. Emphasise the Simplicity

Remind customers how easy it is to join:

• Scan Join Code
• Download app
• Enter details
• Start collecting stamps

No physical cards. No fuss. Just rewards.

3. Highlight the Value Clearly & Often

Don't bury your reward in small print. Make it bold and obvious:

• “Sign up and get a free coffee today!”
• “Earn a $10 voucher every 10 visits”

Highlight any sign-up bonuses or limited-time offers to spark FOMO.

Real-World Examples: How Others Did It

These businesses used the tactics above — and saw real results.

Caffeina Cafe

Sign-Up Reward Strategy

• Offers a free coffee upon joining
• Encourages word-of-mouth and quick adoption. 

Image suggestion:
"Barista handing free coffee to new loyalty member"
Alt text: Customer receives free coffee after signing up to café loyalty program

Lux Nails Bar

Social Media Strategy

• Promotes program via Instagram reels
• Targets younger, digital-savvy customers
• Builds community and brings in referrals

Millin’s Free Range Butcher

Weekly Reel Promotion

• Uses reels to highlight specials and the loyalty program
• Educates customers on earning stamps

Troubleshooting: What If It’s Still Not Working?

Ask yourself:

• Is the reward enticing enough?
  Consider a better sign-up bonus or shorter reward cycle.
• Are your staff trained and talking about it?
  Revisit your training tools.
• Do customers know how to join?
  Add QR codes to more places — packaging, receipts, social bios.
• Are you promoting regularly?
  Schedule weekly reminders and rotate creatives.

Conclusion: You’ve Got This — and Stamp Me Can Help

Loyalty programs are powerful when done right. But even the best program can flop if customers don’t understand it, see the value, or hear about it consistently.

The key takeaways:

• Keep it simple
• Promote it often
• Use the right tools (like Stamp Me’s features)

You’ve already taken the first step by caring enough to ask: “Why aren’t people joining?”
Now you’ve got the answers and the roadmap.

Ready to grow your loyalty program with confidence? Stamp Me has all the tools we outlined to help you onboard customers and promote in style. Get started today.