A customer club is easy to overcomplicate.

Names. Tiers. Rules. Points. Terms. Benefits. Technology. Launch campaigns.

Before long, something that should take one sentence to explain needs a diagram.

A better approach is to build the club from the customer backwards.

Step 1: Start with a real reason

Do not begin with “we need a loyalty scheme.” Begin with something about the business.

Monday is too quiet.

We have loads of regulars but no way to talk to them.

We're missing an opportunity with families in the holidays.

We want to increase a base monthly revenue.

Local hospitality teams need a place to come in after work.

Those observations are useful because they give the club a job.

The proposition becomes much easier once you know why it exists.

Step 2: Decide who it is for

“Customers” is too broad.

Good clubs often make a particular person immediately think, “That's for me.”

Local residents.

Wine people.

Parents.

Office workers.

Regulars.

Cyclists.

Hospitality workers.

People who want the first table when bookings open.

You do not need to exclude everybody else. You simply need enough focus for the club to have character.

Step 3: Find the value exchange

Why should somebody join?

Write the answer without marketing language.

“Members hear about cancellations first.”

“Members get a better-value menu every Monday.”

“Members get weekday coffee included.”

“Local hospitality workers get industry perks on Sunday and Monday.”

If the answer is “to receive our latest news and offers”, keep working on it!

Step 4: Keep the benefits memorable

You do not need ten launch benefits, choose a few things that reinforce the central idea.

With a base of something that's dependable, you can add changing offers, events, seasonal extras and messages over time.

A club is allowed to evolve. In fact, it should!

Step 5: Make joining ridiculously easy

Every extra step is an opportunity to lose someone.

Hospitality is particularly unforgiving because people are usually doing something else when you ask them to join: ordering, paying, talking, leaving, looking after children.

The joining proposition should be visible and the value should be immediate.

Tell people what it is, tell them why to join, then make it incredibly easy to join.

Step 6: Get the team to believe in it

A customer club cannot live entirely in marketing. The people serving customers need to understand it.

They should be able to explain the club naturally, recognise the membership experience and know what to do when a member uses a benefit.

If the team finds it confusing, customers will too.

Step 7: Launch before it is perfect

Your first version is a hypothesis.

You think this audience will care about these benefits for this reason. The only way to find out is to put it in front of people.

Start with customers who already like you. Invite regulars. Put the joining point of sale in the venue. Mention it on your website and social channels. Listen to what people ask. Then improve it.