Making every event count

Why events are a loyalty goldmine

Events (markets, festivals, pop-ups, seasonal rushes) share one thing in common: concentrated footfall of people who are already in a positive, exploratory mindset. They're not rushing. They're browsing. They're open to new things.

For businesses that show up at these events, this is an extraordinary opportunity. You can meet dozens or hundreds of potential new customers in a single day, people who might never have found you otherwise.

The problem is that most businesses let this opportunity slip through their fingers. They make a sale, hand over the product, and the customer walks away. No name. No contact details. No reason to return. The event becomes an expensive sampling exercise rather than a customer acquisition channel.

Before the event: set up your programme

The time to prepare your loyalty strategy is not on the morning of the event. Here's what to have in place before you arrive:

• →Your loyalty programme is live. Obvious, but critical. New customers need to be able to sign up immediately. A "we're setting it up next week" response kills the moment.
• →Your QR code is printed and visible. A clear, well-placed QR code on your counter or display, ideally with a simple one-line explanation ("Scan to join our loyalty card"), removes friction from the sign-up process.
• →Your staff know the pitch. One sentence: "We have a loyalty card. Scan this and your first stamp is already on there." That's all it takes.
• →You have an event-specific incentive ready. More on this below, but having something special for event-day sign-ups dramatically improves conversion.

On the day: frictionless sign-ups

Events are busy. Customers are moving quickly. The sign-up process needs to take under two minutes, or you'll lose most of them.

The Stampet flow at an event: customer scans your join link or QR code → downloads or opens the app → creates account → immediately sees their first stamp. Your staff then scan the customer's QR code to add stamps on each purchase. That's it. No long forms, no email verification delays, no waiting. The reward is instant, which means the motivation is instant.

The verbal pitch from your staff makes the biggest difference. Train your team to offer the loyalty sign-up to every customer, not just the ones who linger. A brief, natural mention ("Do you have our loyalty card? Join here and we'll add a stamp with your purchase today") is all that's needed. Most customers say yes when asked directly.

Event-specific loyalty tactics

A few tactics that consistently improve results on high-traffic days:

After the event: the follow-up window

The 48 hours after a high-footfall event are the most valuable follow-up window you have. The memory of the interaction is fresh, the positive feeling is still there, and customers are most receptive to a message from you.

A push notification within this window ("Great to meet you at [event] yesterday! You're [X] stamps away from your first reward. Come find us at [location or next event].") consistently drives action. Keep it warm, personal, and short. Don't use this moment to push a hard sell.

The data tells a clear story: event-day customers who receive a follow-up message within 48 hours are three times more likely to make a second purchase than those who don't hear from you.

Different events, same principles