Starting a Retail Loyalty Program for Your Framing Business: 7 Tips

Want more repeat customers? Build your retail loyalty program around real shopping behavior — and back it with tools that track, reward, and invite them back. The best programs help you see real results, protect your margins, and make every visit more rewarding for your customers.

Use these seven tips to build a loyalty program that fits your framing business — and run it through your point of sale (POS) system to keep rewards automatic and customers engaged.  

1. Define Your Program Goals First

Before you choose rewards or punch cards, figure out what you want the retail loyalty program to do. Are you trying to bring shoppers back more often? Get them to spend more per visit? Encourage customer referrals?

Each goal should tie to measurable goals:

• Increase repeat visits: Offer a discount or perk for reordering within 60 or 90 days.

• Raise average sale value: Give credit once a customer reaches a spend threshold, like $250 on a gallery framing order.

• Attract referrals: Include a free mat upgrade when a customer refers someone who completes their first framing order.

Rewards should reflect what your customers actually value. This focus helps you design promotions and pricing that support how you price, market, and deliver your services.

2. Know Your Customer Base

Customer loyalty programs only work if the rewards feel valuable. Talk to regulars or check past sales. Fine art clients may return more often but spend less, while diploma and shadow box buyers make big one-time purchases.

Segment your offers accordingly:

• Reward frequent framers: Feature perks for repeat orders or a credit after every few frames.

• Thank big spenders: Provide rewards that scale with spending, like a free frame cleaning kit on orders over $250 and a museum glass upgrade on orders over $500.

• Re-engage occasional buyers: Use punch cards or follow-up incentives, like a discount on their next order, to encourage a second project.

Use your POS system to automate reward tracking, apply discounts at checkout, and link each visit to the customer’s purchase history. That way, your loyalty program runs in the background without slowing down transactions.

3. Choose a Reward Structure That Fits Your Margins

Loyalty members spend 12% to 18% more than nonmembers, and even a 5% lift in retention can raise profits by up to 25%. That’s why a well-executed retail loyalty program doesn’t just reward customers — it helps your bottom line.

Choose rewards that feel valuable while still keeping your margins intact:

• Earn points per dollar spent: Make it easy to earn and track progress toward rewards.

• Deliver perks over discounts: Try upgrades like nonglare acrylic or premium backing to add value without lowering your price.

• Set spending thresholds: Grant credit or perks once customers hit a spend target that leaves a healthy profit, like 5% back after every $300 spent on custom framing.

The right structure turns loyalty into a worthwhile investment rather than a discount.

4. Train Staff To Promote Your Loyalty Program

Customers are used to loyalty membership programs — on average, they belong to about 15 different ones. They won’t be surprised when your team brings it up, but they will expect a quick explanation and a reason to join.

Make customer engagement training specific and actionable:

• Give simple talking points: Teach staff the program basics — how it works, what customers earn, and how to sign up — so they can mention it naturally during checkout.

• Work it into your checkout script: Try lines like “You’re halfway to a 20% discount on your next order — want me to let you know when you’ve earned it?” This keeps the tone friendly and reinforces the program’s benefits.

• Practice until it feels natural: Role-play checkout scenarios so every team member can confidently explain the program’s benefits. 

A short pitch at checkout makes it easier for customers to say yes, turning casual buyers into regulars.

5. Track Activity Through Your POS or CRM

To make your loyalty program work, you need data on who’s spending, visit frequency, and how close they are to earning a reward. You can then follow up with timely gifts that encourage repeat business.

Customer relationship management (CRM) and POS systems make it easy by logging purchases, visits, and providing useful insights:

• Remind customers who are close to a reward: Send a quick message or mention it in store to prompt their next project.

• Reconnect with inactive customers: Present a personalized reward to restart the conversation and re-engage them.

• Match rewards to spending habits: Thank your top framers and nudge occasional buyers to place another order.

Many POS systems for small retailers now include built-in loyalty tools, making it easy to turn everyday sales into customer retention without adding extra software.

6. Make It Easy To Join and Redeem

Nearly 70% of shoppers skip loyalty programs if joining feels inconvenient. Keep the process quick and easy at sign-up and when it’s time to redeem:

• Make enrollment simple: Let customers join through register forms, QR codes, receipt details, or an online link.

• Keep rewards straightforward: Avoid confusing point systems or complex rules. Explain the perks at checkout or include a note on the receipt so customers know exactly how they work.

• Set expiration dates only when they serve a purpose: Use them to drive urgency, like ending a Valentine’s Day promo on February 15th to drive pre-holiday traffic.

Customers are quick to walk away if a loyalty program feels like a hassle, but when sign-up is fast and the benefits are clear, you’ll gain new members at the counter.

7. Promote Your Loyalty Program Across Channels

Once your retail loyalty program is set up, don’t keep it a secret. Promoting it consistently helps more customers take part, and gives your shop more chances to earn return visits:

• Add signage at checkout: Make it easy to notice, especially near the register or where customers pick up finished frames.

• Include a line on every receipt: Remind customers they can earn rewards next time they come in.

• Showcase redemptions on social media: Share photos of finished pieces with captions like “Another loyalty reward in action” (with customer permission).

The more customers see your program, the more it becomes a regular benefit of shopping at your frame shop.

Build a Retail Loyalty Program That Drives Results

Your retail loyalty program should feel like a natural extension of the customer experience — easy to join, rewarding to use, and in tune with how your store already runs.

LifeSaver POS makes loyalty simple — with customer profiles, built-in marketing, and reward tracking that runs behind the scenes. Try it for 14 days free to see how effortless repeat business can be.