"My Service Isn't Used That Often." How to Adapt the Stamp Card Model

This is one of the most common questions we hear at meed. If you run a coffee shop, a stamp card is simple. But what if you're a hairdresser, a car mechanic, a beauty therapist, or an accountant? Your customers might only visit you two, three, or four times a year.

A traditional "Buy 9, Get the 10th Free" card is a terrible tool for you. It's actively demotivating. A card that takes three years to fill up doesn't build loyalty; it just gets lost or forgotten.

For your type of business, a loyalty program has a different, more important job. Its goal isn't just to reward the 10th visit; it's to maintain a relationship and stay top-of-mind during the long gaps between visits.

The key is to stop thinking of meed as just a single stamp card. It's a powerful loyalty toolkit. Here’s how to use that toolkit to build a program that works perfectly for your low-frequency business.

Step 1: Start with an Instant Win (The Welcome Coupon)

Your first challenge is to make the customer feel valued immediately. Don't just hand them an empty 10-stamp card—that's a long, empty road. Instead, give them an instant, tangible reward just for signing up.

This is where the Welcome Coupon comes in.

When a customer joins your program (by scanning your simple, app-free QR code), meed can be set to automatically send them a "Welcome to the Club" coupon.

• Salon Example: "Welcome! Get 15% off any retail product on your next visit." (This is a great upsell).
  

• Mechanic Example: "Thanks for joining! Get a free windscreen wash top-up with any service."
  

This instant reward makes joining feel valuable today, not three years from now. It's the perfect first step in your new relationship.

(To learn how, see our tutorial on how to add a Welcome Coupon to your program )

Step 2: Redesign the Journey (The "STEP" Card)

A 10-stamp card with one big reward at the end is the wrong model for you. Instead, you need to use meed's STEP Card (our multi-reward card) to create a journey with smaller, achievable rewards along the way.

This keeps your customers engaged and gives them a reason to look forward to their next visit, even if it's months away.

Here's how a hairdresser could set one up:

• Stamp 2 (The 2nd Visit): Reward 1 unlocks -> "Free conditioning treatment."
  

• Stamp 4 (The 4th Visit): Reward 2 unlocks -> "15% off any retail product."
  

• Stamp 6 (The 6th Visit): The Grand Prize unlocks -> "50% off your next cut & blow-dry."
  

Suddenly, the customer isn't 5+ visits away from a reward. They are only one visit away from their first perk. This is a much more powerful motivator.

Step 3: Bridge the Gaps (The Power of Coupons)

This is the most important strategy for your business. How do you stay on your customer's mind during the 3, 6, or 12 months between their visits? You use meed's Coupons feature to send them timely, valuable, and personal messages.

This is what turns your program from a passive card into an active relationship-builder.

• The Birthday Coupon: meed can send a coupon only redeemable on your customer's birthday. "Happy Birthday from all of us at the salon! Here's a coupon for a free blow-dry this month."
  

• The Seasonal Nudge: (For a mechanic) Send a coupon in October: "Winter is coming! Get 10% off a Winter Safety Check this month."
  

• The "We Miss You" Coupon: meed can see who hasn't visited in a while. If a client's normal cycle is 4 months and they've now hit 5, you can set up an automated coupon to nudge them back: "It's been a while! Here's $10 off your next booking."
  

• The "Introduce a Friend" Coupon: Use meed's Member-Get-Member feature to send a special coupon to any of your regulars who successfully refer a friend.

Conclusion: You're Not Building a Stamp Card, You're Building a Club

With meed, you're not just handing over a digital card; you're inviting a customer into your exclusive club.

By combining an instant Welcome Coupon (for immediate value), a smart STEP Card (for achievable rewards), and a strategy of timely Coupons (to bridge the gaps), you create a loyalty program that works. It ensures that when your customer does need your service again, you're the only one they'll think of.

Create your loyalty program now - head to the meed Portal.