5 ways to strengthen brand affinity with DEIB & CSR initiatives

Does your customer loyalty program bridge the values of your brand to your customers? It's no secret customers seek out products or services that offer value. However, it’s becoming even more important for customers to support brands that share their cultural, societal and environmental values.

Offering compelling loyalty solutions fueled by community and connection is instrumental in building and scaling brand affinity. If your loyalty program isn’t already one facet of your organization's initiatives around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) and corporate social responsibility (CSR)—now’s the perfect time to begin.‍

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Integrating company values in loyalty programs

What does infusing your company values have to do with customer loyalty programs? Everything. Integrating your company’s DEIB & CSR initiatives into your customer loyalty program demonstrates a genuine commitment to caring for your customer which not only builds a positive brand image, but empowers community, enhances customer engagement and strengthens brand affinity.

Empower your customers through your diversity and sustainability initiatives by supporting change for social good through everyday purchases and simple actions. A good example is incentivizing micro-giving to local charities. When repeated across your user base, these actions accumulate into impactful change.

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• Transform customers into brand advocates: Customers who embrace these purpose-driven offerings will spread the word to friends and family—multiplying the impact through the vehicle of your brand.
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• Drive affinity for your brand: Connecting DEIB and CSR initiatives to everyday purchases and making it rewarding builds strong associations and repeat business. A customer's willingness to try new products is 71% higher with brands that lead with purpose.¹
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• Accelerate consumer engagement: Loyalty program opportunities with direct tie-ins with a bigger cause inspire people to act, driving higher web and in-store traffic.
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• Build and strengthen your community: People seek opportunities to connect with like-minded people. Providing a foundation of shared values sets the stage for stronger engagement.
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• Amplify your impact worldwide: By including your customers as partners in your DEIB and CSR efforts, you’ll multiply your ability to make a difference.

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Strategies for bridging brand values & customer loyalty

Brands that offer their customers opportunities to support DEIB & CSR initiatives through their loyalty program better resonate with today’s customers.  

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84% of customers expect companies to back their values with action.¹

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1. Bring purpose to the forefront: People want assurance their participation makes a difference, so communicate your shared impact with visually compelling updates and graphics.
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2. Tie incentives and rewards to your values: Reinforce your commitment to DEIB or sustainability initiatives by connecting customer action to meaningful rewards with value. Deploy promotions that up the ante with high-value coupons, a points multiplier or an advancement to the next tier.
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3. Use engaging tools to demonstrate progress and achievement: Gamification tools such as leaderboards inspire excitement and participation in campaigns.
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4. Provide real-time opportunities to help: When the unthinkable happens, people feel called to help. Channel that outpouring through your loyalty program as an extension of your brand’s response plan. Providing options to convert assets to activate a donation match will amplify your reach and impact.
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5. Create a sense of shared ownership: Demonstrate good governance of your customer-inclusive DEIB and CSR initiatives by prioritizing transparency and giving people credit for doing their part. Share heartwarming, inspiring stories from both the giving and receiving ends directly on the platform's newsfeed and social elements. These actions spark engaging conversations while providing clear evidence to people their actions matter.

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Express shared values through your loyalty program

Strengthen connections and build brand affinity by extending your DEIB and CSR initiatives throughout your customer loyalty program. Through the power of shared values, connect with your customers and amplify worldwide the social good you both want to see by making it rewarding.

Contact us to learn more about how Augeo can help your enterprise elevate engagement, foster loyalty and build brand love through flexible and scalable platform technologies.

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¹ Porter Novelli | The Purpose Priorities Report