Start Up Tech Firm SNAP Launches, Linking In-Store Loyalty Programs To Social Networking Sites
Customers Earn Loyalty Rewards In-Store and Online through Automated Social Posts and Check-Ins, Expanding Brands through Digital Word of Mouth
SNAP (Social Network Appreciation Platform) launched recently, creating the first web-based platform to integrate traditional in-store loyalty programs into today's most popular social media networks. SNAP is the first platform to bring passive "check- ins" (automatically generated when loyalty transactions occur) to the masses on location-based social networks, like foursquare and Facebook Places. In addition to check-ins, SNAP also allows businesses to expand upon their current in-store loyalty programs by rewarding customers for their automatically "pushed out" digital word of mouth endorsements through Facebook and Twitter. Founded by a few of the most experienced social loyalty and POS leaders in the industry, SNAP is ideally suited for businesses, loyalty providers and social media agencies looking to implement modern web marketing programs that build and strengthen brands, taking traditional loyalty programs to the next level.
Foursquare recently announced that it grew 3,400%, signed up its 6 millionth user, and that nearly 381.6 million people checked in worldwide – all in 2010. A study conducted by social networking site myYearbook reported that 81% of respondents said they received advice from friends and followers relating to a product purchase through a social site and 74% of those who received such advice found it to be influential in their own decisions. "There's no doubt that word of mouth has found a new medium," commented David Gosman, Chief Executive Officer, SNAP. "There are a lot of businesses out there enjoying great success with in-store loyalty programs, but they're a little lost when it comes to engaging customers on the web and social networks. SNAP allows businesses to create a presence via digital word of mouth from their most loyal customers, while reaching an entire world of new potential customers." The average user has 130 friends on Facebook, 126 followers on Twitter and 40 friends on foursquare, which means for every check-in approximately 130 new people are exposed to a brand. If a business generates 100 new check-ins every week, it is effectively reaching 13,000 new potential customers*.
SNAP allows customers to associate their social network accounts to various brands' loyalty programs. When a loyalty transaction occurs in the store or online, customizable, pre-authorized messages are pushed out to social networks, as well as checking them into location-based social sites. This social activity raises brand awareness throughout the customers' social networks, while also awarding points and other rewards. The result is viral sharing and promotion of a brand, which leads to increased visibility and sales.
Tasti D-Lite Customer Success
The SNAP model was initially tested and deployed in January 2010 throughout more than 30 Tasti D-Lite U.S. locations, a Franklin, TN-based company best known for its healthier frozen desserts. Since its initial rollout, the concept has won multiple industry awards, including The Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) Innovative Solutions Award as well as the Quick Service Restaurant's Applied Technology Award. "This allows us to acknowledge and reward our customers for their brand loyalty and for spreading the word about Tasti D-Lite with their friends and followers within the most popular social networking communities," says BJ Emerson, VP of Technology, Tasti D-Lite. "The SNAP platform now offers us greater flexibility and functionality where the potential for our success is limited only by our ability to creatively engage our customers and execute effective loyalty campaigns for our franchise network."
Features and Functionality
With SNAP, customers enable messages through a store-branded portal, which automatically sends creative, customized branded messages when transactions are complete. Brands control their own campaigns, allowing businesses the flexibility to change up marketing incentives easily and often. Separate portals allow customers and brands to manage account options, enable features and view reports. Other features include:
Check-ins: SNAP automatically and passively checks customers in and pushes creative, customized messages out to customer social networks when transactions occur. Customers do not have to manually check-in through a mobile device.
Awards: Businesses reward their most loyal customers with customized awards, such as badges, trophies, stamps and kudos, which they can unlock at certain point levels or after a designated activity or behavior (for example, if a customer purchases in different states he can receive a traveler badge).
Leaderboards: Leaderboards allow customers to compete for points. Brands can access Leaderboard stats, which display point rankings by location.
Reports: The corporate portal interface contains comprehensive reports that measure loyalty campaigns, monitor social statistics and track user activity by location.
Integration & Pricing
A variety of POS systems, loyalty and payment processors can be easily configured to work with SNAP. Existing loyalty programs can simply connect to SNAP's application programming interface (API) to get started. Pricing options vary, depending on the level of integration, type of business and number of locations.
About SNAP
SNAP is an award-winning, easy-to-integrate platform designed to modernize traditional in-store loyalty programs by expanding upon them to include today's most popular social media networks. SNAP is the first platform to bring social media posts and passive check-ins to the growing masses of location-based check-in and social network users. SNAP offers businesses large and small the ability to creatively and continually engage customers with both in-store and online loyalty rewards, strengthening brand, enhancing customer loyalty and increasing sales.
SOURCE: Social Network Appreciation Platform