For years, receipts were just a way to confirm a transaction. Retailers recorded their sales and prepared them for reporting, and customers had proof they had paid for the goods before they left the store.
In the early 21st century, receipts went from boring, crumpled pieces of paper to marketing tools customers engage with. This has much to do with the rise of digital receipts for online purchases, but paper receipts can also include marketing messages.
Receipt marketing is good for promoting loyalty programs, surveys, cross-sells, special offers and deals.
In this article, we will cover receipt marketing for loyalty programs and show how businesses use this channel to get into customers’ smartphones with customer loyalty software like PassKit.
PassKit helps companies turn paper and plastic loyalty cards, membership cards, and coupons into digital passes that customers can store in their trusted mobile wallets.
Start your free trial to test PassKit and see if it is a good fit for your business.
Before we get into the rest of the article, let’s first explain receipt marketing and how it fits into your overall marketing campaigns.
What is receipt marketing?
Image source: Pexels
You can use receipt marketing as a medium to deliver promotional messages. It’s also known as register tape advertising because it started on paper slips.
Effective receipt marketing strategies can turn receipts from transaction documentation into marketing materials. It is suitable for any business because, in most countries, every transaction has to be documented legally.
When a transaction happens, you issue a receipt, and your customer can either throw it away or keep it for future use, which creates an opportunity to ensure this customer comes back.
You can use the space on your paper slips or digital receipts to add promotional content. If done right your customer will see the message because they expect the receipt and get it straight after purchase.
Receipts are an effective medium because you hand them to the customer when they expect to receive them.
This is what makes receipts different from other marketing channels, where businesses struggle to identify and reach the right people at the right time.
Receipts eliminate a lot of guesswork because it’s obvious who the customer is and what they expect.
Why is receipt marketing good for your business?
Receipt marketing is excellent because it’s easy and affordable. Although receipts must be issued, the marginal cost of customizing them is low.
Customer retention
With receipt marketing, you are targeting people who are already your customers. So, your conversion effort has already paid off. You don’t have to guess what channels your customers are using. You don’t have to figure out how to get them to the shop. They are already there, handing you money.
Using receipts to promote activities that increase retention and generate more revenue makes sense. You can offer related products to cross-sell, ask for feedback or promote your automated loyalty program during the entire customer journey. In general, receipts are good for post-purchase marketing.
You own the medium
Modern receipts are highly customizable. You can configure your receipt printers to print anything, but you need to consider physical restraints like roll width and black-and-white printing. With a clever message that complements the mandatory information, you can turn the boring slip into a marketing tool.
Digital receipts delivered via email are even more customizable. Emails have supported HTML for a long time. You can design anything and embed images and rich media.
Finally, with receipt advertising, you don’t pay for space on other mediums. You don’t have to rent a billboard, pay for digital ad space or buy a time slot on TV. You have freedom and flexibility because you own the medium. You don’t have to take what a third party gives you.
Maximum exposure at the point of sale
Completing a transaction is part of the shopping experience. The smoother and faster, the better. Add to that product satisfaction, and you have a perfect opportunity to capitalize on this good feeling.
Receipts allow you to deliver marketing messages to happy customers at the point of sale. By handing out receipts that stand out, you can make the customer experience more engaging and leave a lasting impression.
Added value to the customer
A message of value delivered in a nonintrusive way can make a big difference. Receipts are dull, and for a long time, they were. However, an established consumer habit of receiving receipts helps your receipt marketing effort.
Very low cost
Receipt marketing can cost less and have a higher ROI than your entire marketing stack. Setting up a POS device to print a promotional QR code is neither expensive nor difficult. Email receipts are also relatively cheap to set up and send.
You don’t have to worry about targeting the right audience. The people you give receipts to are already your customers, so you can focus on retention, not acquisition.
Multi use
Receipts are a medium for many marketing activities. They are good for additional revenue and customer engagement. Here are some areas where the payslips are helpful:
- Customer loyalty programs: Instead of handing out leaflets at the checkout, you can print a QR code on the receipt with a link to your digital loyalty program.
- Customer feedback and surveys: A QR code can get your customers online, where they can rate your product or service or answer survey questions.
- Promotions and other campaigns: Purchases are often a trigger for specific promotional benefits.
- Cross-sell: Use receipts to promote related products. Suitable for digital receipts that can accommodate formatted content.
So, with modern technology, the old receipt is a multi-tool for your marketing.
Works for offline and online stores
Digital transactions leave a trail, just like physical purchases. Clients receive order confirmations via email and use them to track progress while waiting for delivery.
Depending on how long the package takes, the client may open the email receipt several times. We can’t think of a better opportunity to promote other products.
Brick-and-mortar stores are not left out, either. A QR code and a short call to action on the payslip are enough to send people to online channels. Retailers have been offering print and digital receipts for over a decade.
Cross channel catalyst
Messages in receipts can move your customers from physical locations to digital ones. The example of a loyalty program sign-up is relevant here, too.
All it takes for the user to get to the sign-up form is to scan a QR code. The effort is minimal, the result is almost instant, and the long-term benefits are positive.
Once the customer has signed up, you can use the details to send marketing messages in the future. The contacts are verified, and you can be sure your messages reach the right audience.
Digital receipts vs paper receipts for receipt marketing
Image source: Green America
Both printed and digital receipts can be a powerful marketing tool to encourage repeat business. The main differences are in the delivery and ease of future interaction.
Email receipts are a quick way to do all sorts of online activities. They can easily accommodate “similar items” or “you may also like” suggestions.
Adding a call to action is a breeze. Links to surveys and loyalty program pages are easy to add. Most importantly, custom design and personalization options are better with digital receipts.
Printed receipts from cash registers or credit card terminals have advantages, too. They can send existing customers to your social media accounts or other online channels, where you can expose them to promotions.
Handing out paper receipts involves personal interaction, so it’s an opportunity for your staff to leave a lasting impression. They are also a great addition to in-store displays promoting your loyalty program.
Customers who don’t interact with other printed material in the store can still have the information on the payslip. Despite the move to replace paper with digital receipts, many still prefer printed receipts.
On the downside, paper receipts can get lost, and many people throw them away as soon as they leave the store.
A Green America survey found that 37% of respondents throw away or lose nearly all or all of their paper receipts. This is especially true for high-turnover items.
What kind of customer data can you get with receipt marketing?
Image source: Freepik
Every receipt has transaction data that doesn’t make sense on its own. However, when you aggregate the data, patterns or trends emerge.
Summing up transaction data gives insights into what you’re selling, how much, and when. Other data, like payment methods, is also available.
Summarized receipt data can provide all sorts of insights, including how your sales fluctuate. It can also help you predict peaks and dips in workload and plan supplies and promotions.
If you design a loyalty program and your customers submit receipts to earn points, it can be a goldmine. You can link certain products to specific customer demographics or behaviors. Using your customers’ habits for better sales and promotion planning is a game changer.
Also, receipt marketing, when used for surveys, can fuel your decision-making with real product reviews and genuine feedback from customers who care.
Creating receipt promotions
Effective receipt promotions are key to driving sales, repeat business and customer loyalty. Here are some tips to help you start:
- Personalize your promotions: Use customer data to tailor promotions to individual interests and preferences. Personalized offers make customers feel valued and more likely to engage.
- Keep it simple: Make sure your promotions are clear and easy to understand. Avoid complex language or confusing offers that will deter customers from taking action.
- Make it relevant: Align your promotions with your customers’ needs and interests. Relevant offers resonate more with customers, and they are more likely to participate.
- Use eye candy: Make your promotions stand out by using visually appealing designs and graphics. An attractive receipt can grab attention and make customers read the promotional content.
Always add a clear call to action that tells customers what to do next. Whether visiting a website, scanning a QR code or redeeming a discount, a strong CTA will drive customer engagement.
Collecting customer feedback
Collecting customer feedback is key to improving your business and creating effective receipt promotions. Here are some ways to collect customer input:
- Surveys: Add surveys to your paper receipts or email receipts to collect feedback from customers. This direct approach will give you valuable insights into customer satisfaction and areas for improvement.
- Reviews: Ask customers to leave reviews on your website or social media channels. Positive reviews will boost your reputation, and constructive criticism will help refine your offerings.
- Social media: Monitor social media conversations about your business to collect feedback and insights. Engage with customers on social platforms to increase your brand’s visibility and credibility.
- Email: Send follow-up emails to customers to collect feedback and improve their experience. Personalized follow-ups show you value their opinion and are committed to their satisfaction.
Collect feedback from customers in-store through comment cards or feedback boxes. This way, customers can share their thoughts immediately after their shopping experience, giving you timely and relevant insights.
How to explain your loyalty program on the receipt
Depending on the space on the receipt, you can explain your loyalty program differently. Electronic receipts give you more flexibility because of the customization options. Don’t underestimate paper receipts, though.
Don’t hijack the receipt
Your loyalty program is important, but don’t forget that the receipt has a primary purpose—to document a transaction and show purchase points. Always show the primary information first.
You can explain your loyalty program below the transaction details. That’s a common approach for paper receipts with limited width. If you show the purchase confirmation as the primary information, you can use different layouts for your digital receipts.
Be concise and clear
Make sure to explain how to get to the onboarding page. Use prominent elements like buttons, text links and QR codes. Always include a self-explanatory call to action. Especially for QR codes on printed receipts because the code is not readable to the person.
Also, think of some key benefits of your loyalty program to list on the receipt. This will reinforce the benefits of signing up. Don’t overwhelm the user with long sentences and phrases here. You don’t have that much space on the receipt, and the user doesn’t have the time to read.
Make it seamless
Your customers will appreciate a seamless onboarding with clear and predictable steps. Technology allows us to transition from one medium to another quickly. But remember, this transition requires user trust, and you have to earn it.
Make sure everything is tested and works. Setting up expectations with good marketing is fine, but it’s all for nothing if it doesn’t work for technical reasons.
Use PassKit QR code distribution
Many local businesses are too small to invest in building an app or a proprietary loyalty program. That’s where PassKit, one of the best loyalty program apps, comes in.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, most customers have become familiar with and use mobile wallets like Google or Apple Wallet daily when paying for a product or service in-store.
They also use digital wallets to store and quickly access payment cards, loyalty cards, membership cards, coupons, digital tickets, boarding passes, etc.
Integrating your loyalty program with a popular digital wallet is the best of digital consumer trends without the risk of investment.
With PassKit, you can create these digital passes, and your customers can use them every time they buy in the future.
Here’s how PassKit works:
- The customer receives a QR code on a printed or digital receipt.
- The customer scans the QR code or taps a link from an email or social media.
- The pre-generated digital pass (loyalty card) is displayed on the screen.
- The customer adds the pass to their Apple Wallet or Google Pay with one tap.
- The customer is now part of your loyalty program and incentivized to return to your store.
The best part is that neither you nor the users need to install an additional app. You can create digital passes with the Pass Designer and then use QR code distribution to make onboarding easy. No login is required, so go ahead and try our platform and play around with its features or add a sample loyalty card to your phone.
QR codes can be printed or digital. You can print them and place them on receipts, in-store displays or shop windows. You can publish digital QR codes on your website, social media or another online place where your business has an existing presence.
With PassKit, you can use QR code distribution to turn offline interactions into digital experiences. The process is simple and doesn’t require much from the user. Also, the integration with trusted mobile wallets helps you build user trust for a seamless transition.
Start a 45-day free trial now.
Other ways PassKit can boost your loyalty program
We’ve talked about receipt marketing in this article. It’s just one way to promote your loyalty program. Emails, online ads or social media posts would also work. With PassKit you’ll get QR codes to post online or print for in-store placement. You’ll also get enrollment links for emails, social media or online display ads. You can also upload your customer contacts to PassKit and then send emails with personalized loyalty cards.
Another big plus is the easy integration with POS and CRM. You don’t have to replace your existing software. PassKit has an API that allows data capture and analysis without having to integrate into your app. That’s perfect for businesses that don’t have a retail app and don’t plan to build one.
If you’re looking into the future you’re probably considering or already supporting contactless payments. PassKit loyalty points will be updated automatically if your devices support the required Apple and Google protocols.
You can also grab the user’s attention at the right moment with location-based or time-based messaging. PassKit can display lock screen notifications when customers pass a nearby store with near field communication enabled.
Customers can also receive offers in-store and reminders for expiring deals. You can also send birthday greetings with a reminder to redeem loyalty points. In short, PassKit will get your customers on board and keep them engaged with personalized offers.
Start a 45-day free trial now.
How to get customers to engage with your receipts
Again, it’s good to distinguish between paper receipts and digital ones. You can use eye-catching designs with email receipts to keep the user’s attention and prompt action. Paper receipts are riskier because not all customers have the habit of keeping them. Here are some tips to make your receipts more engaging:
- Talk to your customers: When handing out payslips, direct the customers’ attention to the offers they can get. A quick mention of an offer and a reminder to keep the receipt could be enough.
- Use calls to action: This works everywhere else. Receipts are no exception.
- Promote time-sensitive offers: Adding time limits alerts users because they don’t want to miss those offers. It also creates the habit of paying attention to the receipt.
- Make the users feel special: When promoting surveys, ask your customers for feedback in a way that makes them feel their experience is important to you.
- Promote relevant products: Make sure your offers are for products your customers would be interested in.
Finally, remember receipt marketing is just one of many channels. Ensure all your offers and promos are consistent across all channels; otherwise, your customers will ignore one channel for another.
Measuring success
Measuring the success of your receipt promotions is key to understanding how they work and improving them. PassKit provides advanced customer loyalty analytics to measure success:
- Track redemption rates: Monitor the number of customers who redeem your offers to see how well they work. High redemption rates mean your offers are resonating with customers.
- Monitor sales: Monitor sales figures to see if your offers increase sales. This is a direct indicator of successful receipt promotions.
- Collect customer feedback: Get feedback from customers to understand their perception of your offers. This qualitative data can give you insights into what’s working and needs to be adjusted.
- Integrate with third-party analytics tools: Use analytics tools to track your offers and make data driven decisions. These tools can help you identify trends and measure the impact of your marketing.
- Compare to benchmarks: Compare your offer’s performance to industry benchmarks to measure its effectiveness. Benchmarking can help you see how your offers stack up against competitors and what to improve.
By following these tips, you can create great receipt promotions, get valuable customer feedback and measure the success of your marketing to improve and drive customer loyalty.
Receipt marketing is here to stay
Receipt marketing is a low cost way to use a familiar medium to deliver commercial messages. It’s gone digital and online receipts have taken the promotional power to the next level.
We can say receipt marketing is here to stay.
In this article we showed how your receipts can help your loyalty program. We also explained how PassKit can help your business increase customer retention and loyalty.
Want to supercharge your receipt marketing and get your customers from offline to online?
