Overview
Actions are customer-side interactions with your Loyalty plan. Your Loyalty plan is based on offering incentives to customers to take these actions, and to reward them accordingly.
You can set different messages, incentives, and rules for each action, depending on the scenario your customers are in at a specific moment. The types of actions and flexibility in settings allow you to incentivize and reward your customers for almost any possible scenario, not just for rewarding purchases.
The different action types and the flexibility of their settings are intended to cover a wide range of customer scenarios, and to achieve a specific marketing goal for each use case.
The following actions are available:
| Action | Description | Action Attachment | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default action | The default action is a fallback in case of a system issue or if an action was attached to the wrong user group. |
Attachment not required | No reward |
|
Purchase |
This action drives your customers to their next purchase. You can delay the reward for purchases to consider returns and cancellations. |
Attachment required: You need to attach the action using personalization tokens or Loyalty Node in an automation program to your contacts. |
Loyalty processes the sales data, and automatically rewards contacts when they fulfill the action requirements. |
|
Promotions |
This action allows you to promote your product catalog, sales, and events. It is available for a specified period and drives customers to make purchases for extra rewards during this limited time. |
Optional: You can attach promotion actions to specific contacts, if you want to limit the actions to them, but you also can set it to include all contacts of a specific tier. Attaching: Via personalization token, or automation program. |
Loyalty processes the sales data, and automatically rewards contacts when they fulfill the action requirements. |
|
Engagement |
This action drives your customers to engage with your brand and with your loyalty plan. By using the API, you can define any engagement on your website that you want, which in turn can trigger External events activating Automation Center programs. Without the API, this is dependent on a value change in a contact data field. |
Attachment required: You need to attach the action to your contacts using personalization tokens in a channel (Email, SMS etc.) or the Loyalty Trigger node in an automation program. |
To reward the user, you need to use an automation program, and to include the Loyalty Trigger node in it. In the node, select the Loyalty action starting with Action completed. |
|
Events |
No explicit action is required by the customer - you define the circumstances under which they qualify for these rewards, for example, if it is their birthday. These conditions are connected to Loyalty event and Automation programs. |
Attachment not required |
To reward the user, you need to use an automation program, and to include the Loyalty Trigger node in it. In the node, select the Loyalty action starting with Action completed. |
|
Default Join |
This action drives your customers to join the plan and become Loyalty members. |
Attachment not required |
Any user who joins loyalty, from Loyalty Wallet or through the API will get this reward. |
|
Join |
This action drives your customers to join the plan and become loyalty members. You can also set up Join Loyalty campaigns for specific entry points and segments. |
Attachment required: You need to attach the action using personalization tokens or Loyalty node in an automation program to your contacts. |
Any user who joins loyalty, from Loyalty Wallet or through the API who was attached to this action will get the reward. |
| Referral | The referral program is designed to incentivize Loyalty members to invite their friends to purchase in the store. Loyalty members who bring friends who buy - are rewarded. The invited friend receives a time-limited voucher as an incentive for immediate purchase. |
Attachment not required |
Loyalty processes the sales data, and automatically rewards contacts when they fulfill the action requirements, checking if the referral voucher code was used in a purchase. |
Action settings
The settings include content, rules, and rewards with which you can incentivize customers and push them to complete the action. Each type of action has its own set of definitions, but the basic fields are the same in all actions:
- Action name - A name that your customers will see in their Loyalty Wallet. The name is also displayed as a Loyalty token and can be used in the Personalisation Service.
- Description - An internal description that helps you manage your actions and promotions more easily and effectively.
- Icon - An icon that your customers will see in their Loyalty Wallet. The icon is also displayed as a Loyalty token and can be used in the Personalisation Service. We offer a set of icons in our icons library, but you can also upload your own icons independently.
The icons have to meet the following requirements:
- SVG or PNG formats are supported
- Fit a square area of 200*200 px
- The image has to touch the border of the square area
- Minimum order amount is a condition available for all purchase and promotion actions. If you set a minimum order amount, members must spend at least this sum in one order before they can earn the action reward.
The condition is shown in the action block in the Loyalty Wallet, but we recommend to include this information in your action message, so customers know the condition even when they receive an email.
- Amount shown is the amount that the customers will see (in the Wallet), if their total spend does not match the minimum order amount defined in the original field. For example, the prices you show in the store include taxes, but your uploaded product data is without taxes. In this case, there will be a mismatch between the condition you set and the net amount the customer spent.
Note that our calculation is always based on the uploaded transaction data and the original minimum order amount defined.
For example, the prices you show in your store may include taxes, but the product data you upload to Emarsys may contain prices before taxes. In this case, there will be a mismatch between the condition you set and the net amount the customer spent.
Action rewards
These are the rewards that your customers will earn if they complete the action successfully. You can set single or multiple rewards separately for each tier, or a uniform reward for all tiers. Uniform settings for all tiers override individual tier rewards. The action reward is displayed as a Loyalty token and can be used in the Personalisation Service.
Available action rewards:
- Multiply points - based on the rate defined in the purchase benefits. This reward is available only for purchases and promotions actions.
- Bonus points
- Vouchers
- Exclusive access - to restricted areas of your website, to special seasonal content
- Status upgrade - upgrading to a higher tier
Reward for non-members - Allows you to offer non-members an extra incentive for an immediate purchase, in addition to the standard reward for joining Loyalty (as defined in default Join action). When set, new Loyalty members will have the opportunity to earn the defined reward if they complete the action within the time frame and the rules of the action. Otherwise, the new members will earn only the general joining reward.
Please note that this feature is available only in Purchase and Engagement actions (except for individual tactic actions intended for Loyalty members only).
Purchase action for new members
To motivate your customers to join Loyalty, you can define extra rewards for a purchase in the following way:
Enter the basic information for your action at Add-ons > Actions > Purchases > Create new purchase action.
Specify your bonus reward for non-members, and the general reward for each tier of the members.
Design your message. Make sure to emphasize the bonus for new-members. You will be able to see a preview of your message in the right side of your screen. For more information on how this works for non-members, see Loyalty message for new members.
Specify the duration, during which the extra reward is available for new members.
Once your purchase action is ready, you can start to distribute it by inserting its token into your emails. The message for non-members is displayed right after joining in their Loyalty Wallet as seen in Loyalty message for new members.
Check Setting up a purchase action for more information on the process.
Engagement action for new members
The other action type allowing different messages and rewards for non-members is the Engagement action. Its setup procedure is similar to purchase actions for non-members.
For example, you can motivate people both to join and to purchase by giving an extra reward for product reviews:
Enter the basic information for your action at Add-ons > Actions > Engagement > Create new engagement action.
Make sure to select an External Loyalty event. For more information on how to create these, see Set up a Loyalty External Event - Event actions and Engagement actions.
Specify your bonus reward for non-members, and the general reward for each tier of the members.
Design your message. Make sure to emphasize the bonus for new-members. You will be able to see a preview of your message in the Content Creation phase. For more information on how this works for non-members, see Loyalty message for new members.
Specify the duration, during which the extra reward is available for new members.
Once your purchase action is ready, you can start to distribute it by inserting its token into your emails. The message for non-members is displayed right after joining in their Loyalty Wallet as seen in Loyalty message for new members.
Check Setting up a purchase action for more information on the process.
Action preview
You can see an example of this for a Purchase action in the following image:
Loyalty message
In this screen, you can define the message and CTA that both members and non-members see when they get this action. The message and CTA are tokens that you can use separately or with content blocks in the campaign editor. Loyalty members see it also in their Wallets in the action block. All Loyalty messages of tactic actions are presented with recommended content (Tactic actions are already named and contain an actions message, a CTA and their validity is already defined.). The content of the messages is editable and previewable before saving.
Loyalty message for new members
For Purchase and Engagement actions you are able to define separate rewards and messages for members and non-members (those yet to join). This separation of rewards allows you to specify an extra incentive to motivate your customers to join your loyalty program.
The Loyalty message for new members is displayed in the Loyalty content creation stage in the non-members section. The non-members setup has two scenarios:
- Default Join action: If no additional reward for new members was defined in the rewards step, the defined default join message and reward will be shown for non-members, and this cannot be edited. This is the message that non-members will see when you invite them to join via this action.
- New members: If a reward for new members was defined in the rewards step, this will be shown as the reward for non-members instead of the general reward. Make sure that your message refers to this reward.
All tactic actions include predefined messages in English, which you can edit and translate.
See the bottom message for non-members in the Loyalty message screen:
This is the message the customer will see in the email or in any other personalization channel if it was sent with Loyalty tokens:
Immediately after joining, new members see the message for members in their Wallet (the top message in the Loyalty message screen).
You can see an example of this message in the Wallet:
Action validity and activation
- Action validity - The lifetime (in days) of an action from the moment it is distributed to customers (sent out as a token in an email or displayed in the Wallet). If the customer fails to complete the action within the defined time limit, they will not be rewarded and the action will be removed from their Wallet. Please note that event actions have no time limit.
We recommend limiting most actions to short-term (1-14 days) to add urgency.
- Activation - Deactivation stops further distribution of this action on all channels until reactivation. If this action is connected to an automated program, a default action will replace it in the sent emails until a new action is defined. An action that has already been offered to customers will remain active until its expiration date.
Attaching actions to contacts
Some actions require attaching the action to your chosen contacts. By attaching the contacts to an action, the Loyalty system knows whom to reward for the completed action.
You have the following options for attaching an action to you contacts:
- Create a segment of contacts that you want to attach to the action.
- Choose a marketing channel that you want to send out the message to your contacts, so they should be aware of the action, email, sms and so on...
- In the marketing channel, for example email, choose the tokens that belong to the requested action and add them into the email.
- The moment you send the email out (or via any other channel you chose), Emarsys will send the list of contacts to the Loyalty system, and Loyalty attaches the contact to the action. If the contact completes the action, Loyalty will reward the contact for it.
- Using an Automation Center or an Interactions program
- Create a segment of contacts that you want to attach to the action.
- Create an automation program. In the program use the Loyalty Trigger Node.
- Inside the Loyalty Node you will see two categories: "Action to attach" and "Action completed", you look at “Action to attach” and choose the Action name that you want to attach your contacts to.
- Run the program and your contacts will now get attach to the action, via the Loyalty Node.
Action statuses
There are three types of statuses for actions designed to help you keep track of your activity:
- Inactive - The settings have not been completed. When an action is inactive, its tokens are not available in the campaign editor and cannot be attached to contacts.
- Ready to use - The action is ready to use and can be attached to contacts via the campaign editor using Loyalty tokens.
- Active - The action is active, and its settings are locked. To edit this action, you must deactivate it and wait for the specified expiration date. Alternatively, you can copy it, edit the copy, and launch it as a new action.
Default actions
Each master action has a default action defined for it, which has no rewards associated. These are just simple messages relevant to the objective of the master action.
The default message is displayed when no reward is defined or in case of network or system errors.
Purchase actions
The default message is also shown if the customer has already qualified for such an action.
Join default action
The Join default action is your default and basic Join Loyalty campaign. If necessary, you can override it with Join Loyalty campaigns for specific entry points and segments. Unlike the rest of the default actions, you can define (optional) rewards for joining.
Actions FAQ
Am I able to modify an action after I distribute it via Email or an Automation Center program?
No, once distributed, it is in the member’s Wallet and you can not change it any further. If necessary, you can deactivate the action to make sure its' distribution is stopped. (Deactivated actions are replaced by default actions in messages sent by Automation Center programs, if the AC program is not stopped separately.)
I cannot modify an action, as every field is greyed out in Action Settings. How can I edit the action again?
In Plan Settings, your plan is in Edit next version mode. Set your plan to Live version to enable further editing of actions.