Make Loyalty Program Opt-Ins Part of Every Transaction To Increase Sales

Bringing in new customers costs real money — but keeping them costs a lot less. And yet, too often, the hard work stops at the first sale.

A loyalty program is how you turn a one-time buyer into someone who comes back again and again, spends more, stays longer, and sticks with your brand even when competitors are shouting for their attention.

But if asking customers to join isn't part of your daily process, if cashiers skip it, if your website hides it, or if no one is capturing phone numbers for texting, you're not just missing out on a few extra sign-ups.

You’re leaking revenue with every transaction.

We’ve seen it happen: businesses spend thousands getting new traffic, only to let those customers walk away with no way to reach them again. And when loyalty marketing is treated like an afterthought, retention becomes an uphill battle: expensive, slow, and unpredictable.

Starting loyalty opt-ins the right way doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about building small habits into the way you already operate: making sure employees ask at checkout, offering fast online sign-ups, making SMS opt-ins a priority (because those customers spend 4× more), and protecting your business by staying compliant with age gating and 10DLC.

Training Cashiers to Drive Loyalty Sign‑Ups

Your front-line employees are the gatekeepers of your loyalty program. Cashiers and budtenders have a golden opportunity at checkout: invite each customer to join the loyalty program (or confirm they’re already enrolled to enhance their experience). We cannot overstate the importance of training and empowering your staff to do this consistently. Why focus on the checkout counter? Every customer interaction is a chance to grow your loyalty base. If staff don’t ask, many customers simply won’t think to join. We’ve seen shops where employees forget to ask for the customer’s phone number or email, resulting in lost opportunities to engage that customer later. By making loyalty sign-ups part of the standard checkout flow, you ensure no opportunity slips by.

Here are some strategies we implement:

1. Educate: Provide in-person training and even a quick script or talking points for associates. For example, “Would you like to join our VIP rewards program? You’ll earn points on today’s purchase and get special discounts.” This gives staff the confidence to ask every time.

2. Check if they’re already a member: Train staff to ask “Are you already in our loyalty program?” If the customer is, the cashier can acknowledge it and thank them, and mention their points balance or offer to redeem rewards. This makes loyal customers feel recognized and valued.

3. Make it easy: Ensure your point-of-sale (POS) system supports quick lookup or enrollment. For instance, staff can enroll someone by capturing a phone number or email right on the POS screen. The quicker the process, the more likely staff will do it every time.

4. Use visual reminders: Place prompt cards, signage, or a note on the register to remind cashiers to mention the loyalty program.

5. Incentivize and track: Consider rewarding your employees for hitting loyalty sign-up goals. When staff see direct benefits and management tracks progress, they’re more likely to prioritize it.

Remember, your associates are the face of your brand. If they’re excited and knowledgeable about your loyalty program, customers will be too. By investing in training and tools for your team, you create a welcoming invitation for every customer to join your loyalty community.

Offering Easy Online Sign‑Ups (Text & Email)

Not every customer will sign up in-store – some may prefer to join at their own convenience or through your online channels. That’s why we strongly recommend setting up text message and email sign-ups online to capture customers wherever they engage with your business. You want to provide multiple frictionless ways to opt into your loyalty program. Most businesses also forget to ask for the phone number and only get an email

Here’s a few things we suggest to get more opt-ins online:

• Website Sign-Up Forms: Add a prominent loyalty program sign-up form on your website or e-commerce checkout. For example, a pop-up or banner that says “Join our Loyalty Program for deals and updates” can collect an email address and phone number. Keep it simple: ask for minimal info (name, contact, birthday for age verification) and make sure to include a clear consent checkbox for SMS/email marketing.

• Text-to-Join: Leverage SMS even for sign-ups. Set up a keyword that people can text to your number (or short code) to instantly join the loyalty program. For instance, a smoke shop might advertise “Text JOINVIP to 12345 for our loyalty club.” When customers text in, they receive a link or instructions to complete their enrollment (ensuring you gather any required age verification). This is a quick way to get on-the-go customers into your database.

• Social Media: Promote the program on social media with a sign-up link or the text-to-join keyword. This reaches those who haven’t visited recently or who prefer online interaction.

• In-Store QR Codes: For customers in your dispensary or liquor store who might be in a rush, display a QR code at the counter that leads to your online sign-up page. A customer can scan it and join from their phone later, rather than filling a form on the spot.

• Seamless E-Commerce Integration: If you run an e-commerce site, integrate loyalty sign-ups into the account creation or checkout process. A checkbox that says “Enroll me in the loyalty rewards program” lets customers opt in as they buy. We want loyalty to be part of the natural flow of doing business with you.

By meeting customers where they are, you’ll capture many more sign-ups. Someone who bypassed the in-store pitch might respond to a well-timed email at home. An online shopper might join with one click during checkout. The easier and more ubiquitous the sign-up options, the faster your loyalty list will grow.

Why SMS Opt‑In Customers Are So Valuable

If there’s one channel we urge our clients to prioritize in loyalty marketing, it’s SMS (text messaging). Time and again, we’ve seen that customers who opt into SMS communications are incredibly valuable – often spending far more than those reachable only via email or other channels. In fact, industry data shows SMS subscribers can spend up to 4× more than other customers over time. This makes sense: when a customer gives you their phone number, you gain a direct line to their attention. 

SMS boasts an average open rate of about 98%, and most texts are read within 90 seconds, whereas marketing emails average ~20% open rates and might sit unread for hours. This immediacy translates into higher engagement and conversion rates from SMS campaigns. We’ve all felt that buzz in our pocket and looked right away; your customers do the same. Whether it’s a flash sale announcement or a personalized deal, they are far more likely to see and act on a text than an email buried in their inbox.

However, a common challenge we observe is that employees forget to ask for phone numbers during sign-up. They might collect just an email, or skip the opt-in entirely if the line is long. This is where the training and prompts we discussed come into play. We need to instill the importance of capturing that phone contact. Remind your staff (and even online customers via hints) that by opting into texts, customers get the fastest access to deals and news. It’s a win-win: the customer saves money or gets rewards faster, and your business gains a highly responsive marketing channel. To maximize SMS opt-ins, our approach is to clearly communicate the value to the customer. For example, when asking for the phone number, say something like, “If you opt into texts, you’ll receive a 10% off coupon and be the first to know about big sales.” Once they’re on the SMS list, you can nurture these customers with timely(not spamming them everyday), relevant messages that bring them back through your doors. You’ll likely find these subscribers becoming some of your highest spenders.

How Well-Run Loyalty Programs Increase Sales

When done right, a loyalty program directly increases your sales and customer lifetime value. We’ve seen this across retail and e-commerce: a well-run loyalty or rewards program turns one-time buyers into repeat customers and boosts how much they spend on each visit.

• Higher Annual Spend: Customers enrolled in loyalty programs generate 12–18% more revenue per year for the business compared to non-members. That’s a significant lift in sales driven purely by repeat purchase behavior.

• More Frequent Purchases: Loyalty incentives (like earning points or reaching the next tier) encourage customers to come back more often. One study found loyal customers spend 31% more on average than new customers. By nurturing loyalty, you’re accelerating that repeat purchase cycle.

• Greater Share of Industry: When customers commit to your loyalty program, they are more likely to choose you over competitors for related purchases. Studies show loyalty members tend to spend more with the brands they’re loyal to at the expense of competitors, effectively increasing your share of the industry.

Beyond the numbers, a well-run program deepens the customer relationship. By rewarding customers, you build goodwill and brand affinity. People love feeling appreciated; when they get perks for being loyal, it creates an emotional connection that goes beyond the transactions. Loyal customers are also more likely to refer friends and spread positive word-of-mouth. All of this feeds a virtuous cycle: loyalty leads to more sales, which funds more great loyalty rewards, which in turn attracts more loyalty. For regulated industries where advertising channels like Google and Facebook ads are limited – a loyalty program is often the engine of growth. It becomes your own direct marketing channel to drive sales week after week. We’ve seen dispensaries where the majority of monthly revenue comes from loyalty members who return regularly for points and member-exclusive deals. The bottom line: if you invest effort into running your loyalty program well, it will pay for itself many times over in increased sales and customer lifetime value.

Let DispoJoy Manage Your Loyalty Program Marketing

Running a loyalty program and leveraging channels like SMS, email, and apps can feel overwhelming. The good news is, you don’t have to do it all yourself. At Dispojoy, we specialize in managing loyalty program marketing for regulated businesses exactly like yours, and we’d love to take this workload off your plate so you can focus on operating your shop and serving customers. We handle everything to engage your loyalty members across all digital touchpoints:

• Text Message Campaigns: We’ll design and send compelling SMS messages to your customers – daily deals, flash sales, restock alerts, personalized offers – all optimized for high open and click-through rates. We take care of the 10DLC compliance, opt-out management, and segmentation to make sure your texting is effective and worry-free.

• Email Marketing: Our team creates engaging email newsletters and promotions that complement your SMS efforts. While SMS gets the immediate attention, email allows us to share more content – like monthly reward summaries, educational content (e.g. strain highlights or cocktail recipes), and event announcements. We ensure your branding is consistent and that emails land in inboxes (not spam folders).

• Display Ads & Retargeting: With our loyalty data, we can run targeted display ad campaigns to keep your brand in front of your customers across the web. For example, after someone visits your site or if a loyalty member hasn’t shopped in a while, we can serve gentle reminders via ads on their favorite news or social sites (compliant with advertising policies). These display ads reinforce your messaging and bring customers back to your store or site.

• Branded Apps: Yes, we even build and manage loyalty program apps. Having a dedicated mobile app can take your loyalty program to the next level – giving customers a convenient way to check points, redeem rewards, browse products, and receive push notifications. Our solution can include a custom-branded app for your dispensary or shop, fully integrated with the loyalty program. If an app isn’t in your plan, we make sure your loyalty web pages are mobile-friendly and can even leverage progressive web app tech for an app-like experience.

Imagine having a loyalty program that practically runs itself – your team signs up customers day-to-day, and our team handles all the follow-up messaging, promotional calendars, and tech stack behind the scenes.

The result? Your customers stay engaged and keep coming back, your sales climb, and you don’t get bogged down in the minutiae of marketing tactics or legal compliance details. We’ve seen how well-executed loyalty marketing can transform businesses like dispensaries, hemp ecommerce, and even liquor stores. It would be our pleasure to do the same for you. Schedule a call, and let’s get those loyalty opt-ins rolling and those customers spending more with your brand!