Not many people might associate loyalty and lottery programs together. But in reality lotteries can benefit significantly from establishing loyalty programs for their player bases. Loyalty programs come with a number of benefits and features that can help lotteries grow - data insights & analytics, player personalization, engagement opportunities, etc. Here are four ways that loyalty programs can benefit lotteries.
One lesson companies took away from the COVID–19 pandemic was the importance of maintaining customer connections and communication channels beyond the in– person experience. Loyalty programs are great methods for creating a direct link to a brand’s most loyal players. This link allows brands to send players relevant messaging such as new updates and announcements, helpful information, and exclusive opportunities.
Similarly, lottery loyalty programs play a significant part in helping lotteries stay connected to their players. During the pandemic, lotteries with player programs were able to send their members important information such as available prize payment options, office closures, game changes, updates on claims processing, and more. These types of communications not only helped players stay well–informed, but also made it easier for them to continue playing even when normal operations had changed.
The communication link goes both ways—players can also communicate to their lotteries through loyalty programs. Feedback questionnaires and surveys provide beneficial information lotteries can use to improve their offerings, and free rewards points are great methods to incentive player responses.
A key method for building customer loyalty is giving customers ways to interact with a brand beyond making a purchase. Loyalty programs offer more opportunities for players to engage and be entertained beyond their normal lottery playing. Players can participate in program–hosted interactive games and missions, second chance promotions, scavenger hunts, or social media activities, all while earning loyalty points they can later spend on rewards. Other ways lottery loyalty programs drive player engagement is by providing access to member–only events such as prize drawings, promotional giveaways, VIP experiences, and more. These types of engagement are what help to motivate players to be regularly active and encourage long–term program participation.
Another way loyalty programs help lotteries grow and thrive is through the ability to highlight or feature specific games and products on a rolling basis. As stated earlier, player engagement is a critical driver of lottery player loyalty. By offering loyalty members additional perks for playing specific games, such as earning bonus loyalty points or free chances to play, lotteries can drive awareness and interest towards games or products that normally do not receive much promotional dollars. Tactics like these can help players discover and try new games they might not otherwise experience, but could end up enjoying. If they do, then that adds another reason for a player to keep returning and participating in their lottery loyalty program.
Another way loyalty programs help lotteries grow and thrive is through the ability to highlight or feature specific games and products on a rolling basis. As stated earlier, player engagement is a critical driver of lottery player loyalty. By offering loyalty members additional perks for playing specific games, such as earning bonus loyalty points or free chances to play, lotteries can drive awareness and interest towards games or products that normally do not receive much promotional dollars. Tactics like these can help players discover and try new games they might not otherwise experience, but could end up enjoying. If they do, then that adds another reason for a player to keep returning and participating in their lottery loyalty program.
Today’s next–gen loyalty programs incorporate customer growth strategies into their program design from the start and utilize data analytics capabilities to provide detailed customer insights. These capabilities are able to give lotteries a more complete understanding into not only who their players are, but also the what, where, how, and when they’re playing. As a result, lotteries can provide more omnichannel player personalization and customized offerings than ever before—creating a more enhanced and enjoyable player experience across the board.
To learn more about how Brandmovers helps lotteries build and execute lottery loyalty programs, reach out to us today!