How to Choose the Right Reward for Your Stamp Me Loyalty Card

Introduction: What Should I Give Away in My Loyalty Program?

If you’ve asked, ‘What should I give away in my loyalty program?’, then you’re not alone.

Small business owners worry about three things when choosing a loyalty reward:

• Giving away too much and hurting profit
• Choosing something customers don’t actually want
• Creating a reward that’s too complicated to explain

Here’s the truth.

The right reward makes customers come back more often.
It builds habits.
It feels generous.
But it does not destroy your margins.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to choose loyalty program rewards that work — especially for small businesses using Stamp Me.

Why Your Loyalty Reward Matters More Than You Think

Your loyalty reward is not just a freebie. It’s the goalpost your customers are working toward. Every time someone gets a stamp, they’re asking themselves one question: “Is this worth coming back for?”

Here’s a quick reality check: a free coffee, small pastry, or mini service may cost only a few dollars to your business, but it can drive multiple repeat visits, increased spend, and stronger customer habits. Even modest rewards often deliver a ROI many times higher than the cost of the free item, making them a smart investment rather than a loss.

The best rewards have one key trait in common:

A good reward feels valuable to customers but costs less than it looks.

That’s the sweet spot.

The Biggest Mistake Small Businesses Make With Loyalty Rewards

The most common mistake is defaulting to discounts.

Examples:

• “10% off your next visit”
• “$5 off after 10 visits”
• “15% off for members”
  

While offering discounts may feel safe and simple, it can create long-term problems for your business.

Why discounts fail as loyalty rewards

1. Discounts train price sensitivity
Customers start waiting for rewards instead of paying full price.

2. Discounts don’t feel exciting
A percentage off feels forgettable.
A free item or perk feels memorable.

3. Discounts reduce your perceived value
You teach customers that your product is worth less than your menu price.

4. Copying competitors.

Just because another café offers “Buy 9, get 1 free” does not mean it’s right for your business.

5. Making rewards too hard to earn kills motivation.
If customers lose interest before they finish the card, your loyalty program stops working.

What Makes a Loyalty Reward “Good” for Stamp Me Users

The best loyalty rewards follow three simple rules.

It’s Easy to Understand

Customers should get it instantly.

Good examples:

• “Buy 9, get the 10th free”
• “Visit 8 times, get a free class”
• “Collect 6 stamps, get a free blow-dry”

No fine print.
No confusing conditions.
No mental math.

If a staff member can’t explain it in one sentence, it’s too complex.

It Encourages Repeat Visits

Your reward should be based on visits, not spending.

Why?

Because visits create habits.

A visit-based reward:

• Feels achievable
• Brings customers back more often
• Builds routine behaviour

This works especially well for cafes, salons, gyms, and retail stores.

It Protects Your Margins

Great loyalty rewards are low-cost for you and high-value to customers.

This includes:

• Items with low ingredient costs
• Services with spare capacity
• Add-ons that feel premium
• Perks that cost time, not cash

The best rewards feel generous without being expensive.

This balance is what keeps your loyalty program profitable.

Loyalty Reward Ideas That Work Well With Stamp Me

Below are visit-based loyalty reward ideas that work especially well with digital stamp cards.

Cafes & Food Businesses

• Free coffee after 6 visits
• Free extra shot or syrup
• Free pastry with any drink
• Free size upgrade
• Free toastie after 9 visits

Why these work:
Low cost.
High perceived value.
Easy to explain.

Hair & Beauty Businesses

• Free blow-dry after 6 visits
• Complimentary add-on service
• Free mini facial
• Birthday reward
• Free product sample

Why these work:
Services feel premium.
High emotional value.
Strong loyalty effect.

Fitness & Wellness

• Free class after 8 visits
• Guest pass for a friend
• Free PT consultation
• Free recovery session
• Merchandise reward

Why these work:
Encourages consistency.
Builds community.
Feels exclusive.

Retail & Service Businesses

• Free product after 10 visits
• Bonus visit stamp
• Exclusive early access
• VIP event invite
• Personal styling session

Why these work:
Creates emotional connection.
Feels personalised.
Not just another discount.

How Many Visits Should a Reward Take?

This is one of the most common loyalty questions.

There is no perfect number.
But there is a smart range.

For most small businesses:

6–10 visits works best.

Here’s why:

• Fewer than 6 visits → Reward feels too easy and low value
• More than 10 visits → Customers lose motivation

How to choose your number

Ask yourself:

• How often does a typical customer visit?
• How long should it take to earn the reward?
• How valuable does the reward feel?

Examples:

• Daily coffee shop → 8–10 visits
• Weekly gym → 6–8 visits
• Monthly salon → 5–6 visits

Avoid rigid formulas.
Keep it flexible.
You can always adjust later.

How Stamp Me Makes Reward Setup Simple

With Stamp Me, you don’t need complicated rules.

In Stamp Me, you can:

• Choose how many visits it takes to earn a reward
• Write your own reward wording
• Change rewards anytime
• Track completions automatically
• Remove paper cards entirely

With Stamp Me, you can:

• Run a loyalty program without discounts
• Create visit-based stamp cards
• Send birthday rewards
• Add bonus stamp days
• Test different rewards easily

Everything is designed to be simple for staff and customers.

No spreadsheets.
No guessing.
No confusion.

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Step-by-Step: Choosing Your First Stamp Me Reward

Use this simple framework.

Step 1: Identify What Customers Already Love

Look at:

• Best-selling items
• Most popular services
• Add-ons customers already pay for

Start with what already works.

Step 2: Choose a Reward With High Perceived Value

Ask:

• Does this feel exciting?
• Would I want this reward myself?
• Does this sound better than “10% off”?

If yes, you’re on the right track.

Step 3: Decide How Many Visits It Should Take

Use the 6–10 visit guideline.

Balance:

• Motivation
• Profit
• Customer frequency

Make it feel achievable.

Step 4: Create Your Digital Stamp Card

In Stamp Me, this takes minutes.

You can:

• Set your visit count
• Write your reward text
• Add your branding
• Activate instantly

Set Up Your Loyalty Reward in the Stamp Me Merchant Console

Once you’ve decided on your reward, setting it up in the Stamp Me Merchant Console is quick and easy. You can get your digital stamp card running in just a few minutes — no spreadsheets, no confusion, just results.

1.  Create Your Reward and Set the Visit Count
2. Log in to the Merchant Console and click Create New in the Stamp Cards area.  
3. Enter your card details, including the name, number of stamps, card description, and add some branding with your stamp icon. 
4. A popup will appear for you to enter your main reward details. Add the reward name and expiry date. Optional: add a sign-up or interim rewards, to keep customers motivated to get stamps. 
5. Enter your business location and upload your logo. 
6. Review and publish your card! 
7. Rewards aren’t set in stone. You can update the reward wording, adjust the visit count, or run limited-time bonuses. 

The right loyalty reward does three things:

• It motivates repeat visits
• It feels exciting
  It protects your margins

You do not need big discounts.
You do not need complex rules.
You do not need a massive budget.

You just need a reward that:

Feels valuable.
Is easy to earn.
Fits your business.

Create a digital stamp card with a reward that encourages repeat visits — without relying on discounts or complicated rules — using Stamp Me.

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