22 Jul Card-free Loyalty Marketing Program Rolls Out Wilbur VIP to Offer Businesses a Way to Incentivize Customers with Cash Rewards on Mobile Devices

Wilbur VIP Loyalty Rewards Makes Tracking Marketing ROI Simple for Small Businesses, While Cash Perks Encourage New and Repeat Customers

BOULDER, Colorado (July 23, 2019) – Helping small businesses spend their marketing dollars wisely, today Wilbur, an ultra-simple loyalty marketing program by Smart Transaction Systems, is launching Wilbur VIP, a cash incentive feature that will help businesses attract, retain and engage customers. Unlike traditional advertising methods, Wilbur offers small business owners the power to track the results of their marketing expenditures, by providing enhanced data about the participation and success rates of their customer loyalty marketing programs.

Wilbur removes the common challenges that many business owners face by offering a loyalty marketing program that staff does not need to manage and where customers don’t need to fill out a form, carry a card or download an app. Customers simply sign up for Wilbur with one text from their smartphone.

“Wilbur VIP is different than other customer loyalty programs because it joins proven promotional methods from the gift card world with loyalty marketing that we know consumers appreciate,” said Ray Clopton, CEO and President of Wilbur and Smart Transaction Systems. “The simplicity of Wilbur makes it easy for customers to understand and requires very little of the merchant’s time. The most successful loyalty programs are easy to join, demand minimal employee training and don’t burden the business owner with a heavy time commitment.”

With Wilbur VIP, money that would have been spent on external marketing is now provided to customers in the form of redeemable cash rewards, allowing business owners to encourage long-lasting customer relationships through their loyalty marketing programs.

“Not all loyalty programs are designed to deliver results, and small businesses have been challenged with understanding the value of expensive advertising,” said Sarah Miller, Director of Marketing of Wilbur and Smart Transaction Systems. “Wilbur VIP provides a solution to get new and repeat customers through the door—with a highly trackable and cost-efficient approach that offers higher levels of engagement than any other form of advertising.

Traditional advertising methods can be costly and time-consuming, and often don’t pay off. Studies show that email blasts and direct mail campaigns often have very low response rates, for example. Wilbur is significantly more cost effective, efficient and automatic for small businesses, which in turn can produce a far higher return on investment when compared with print advertising, email, direct mail and door hanger promotions or coupons.

In fact, mobile/SMS Marketing reaches customers and drives engagement with Gallup reporting that 45 percent of recipients will complete the desired action of a text message. Also, compared to email, SMS text messaging boasts a considerably higher open rate: 90% versus 20%.

Shoppers join Wilbur by sending their first name to a designated Wilbur number and earn points by giving their phone number to cashiers during check out. Businesses can then text customers a monthly cash incentive, for example a $5 reward, to enhance customer experience and encourage repeat business. Texts with updated point balances and reward notifications are sent automatically.

For more about Wilbur VIP, contact Wilbur today by filling out the Contact Us form at wilburrewards.com or by calling 888-494-9760.