In the ever-evolving landscape of customer engagement, traditional loyalty programs are starting to feel a bit… “meh.” Sure, points and discounts can drive repeat purchases, but do they truly delight your customers? Enter Joyalty — a concept that transcends the transactional nature of loyalty and taps into the emotional core of customer experience.
What is Joyalty?
Coined by Adam Posner (CEO of The Point of Loyalty), Joyalty is defined as “your customer’s feeling of maximum joy and delight from one or a series of Moments of Magic (MoMs) delivered by your brand.” Unlike traditional loyalty programs, a Joyalty program is designed to surprise and delight customers, making them feel extra special through unexpected, emotionally engaging experiences.
Research by The Point of Loyalty shows that 67% of loyalty program members would prefer more surprises over exclusive offers. This underlines the growing importance of integrating elements of surprise into customer loyalty strategies to enhance emotional engagement.
At its core, Joyalty is about creating emotional connections that drive customer loyalty in a way that is far more meaningful and lasting than points on a card. These Moments of Magic (MoMs) are not just nice-to-haves; they are essential elements of a brand’s strategy to foster deeper relationships with their customers.
The Neuroscience Behind Surprise & Delight
But why does surprise and delight work so effectively in driving customer loyalty? The answer lies in the brain’s neural circuitry.
A study by Emory University on neural reward pathways has shown that the brain’s pleasure centre—the area that lights up in response to rewarding stimuli—responds particularly strongly to the unexpectedness of these stimuli. The study highlights that our brains are wired to seek out and remember surprises, making them a powerful tool in creating positive emotional associations with a brand.
Marcus Meister, a renowned neuroscientist at Caltech University, has shown that our sensory experiences are categorised by the brain into three simple responses: Yum, Yuck, and Meh. These categories are not just whimsical; they are fundamental to how our brains guide behaviour. When a brand’s message or experience falls into the “Yum” category, it triggers a desire for more—repetitive behaviours that marketers dream of.
Why Add Joyalty?
Integrating Joyalty into your customer engagement strategy offers several compelling benefits:
- Social Media Exposure: Moments of Magic are inherently shareable. When customers are surprised and delighted by your brand, they are more likely to share their experience on social media, amplifying your brand’s reach and reputation.
- Referrals: Customers who experience Joyalty are more likely to refer your brand to others. The emotional impact of a delightful experience drives word-of-mouth marketing, turning customers into brand advocates.
- Revenue: Emotional connections with customers translate into higher lifetime value. Research shows that emotionally engaged customers are more likely to repurchase, cross-sell and have a 3x higher lifetime value than those who are merely satisfied.
- Advocacy: Joyalty turns customers into passionate advocates for your brand. They don’t just stick around for the perks; they actively promote your brand because they feel genuinely connected to it.
Turning Loyalty programs into a Joyalty Programs
Joyalty is not just a theoretical concept, and can be embedded into your program through planned spontaneity – via recognition, rewards or benefits that surprise and delight members.
Posner presents Seven Principles to follow when building a Joyalty program:
- Why a Joyalty Program?
- Who is the audience?
- What is the frequency of the Moments of Magic?
- What is the Moment of Magic?
- How will you measure success?
- What’s the cost vs revenue and the ROJ*I?
- Operationalise and report
To explore this further, check out our latest LinkedIn post on this topic.
Real-World Examples of Joyalty in Action
Joyalty is being implemented by forward-thinking brands around the world. Some examples:
IKEA Australia - BallerCard
IKEA’s BallerCard is an exclusive offering for their 250 most loyal members. These top-tier customers receive a year’s worth of free Swedish meatballs, delivered in a premium box that releases the delicious aroma upon opening. This Joyalty program creates a unique, memorable experience that solidifies customer loyalty.
Ikea’s Loyalty Leader Marco Merkx already shared insights on the importance of nurturing the customers and how to turn Loyalty into Joyalty in one of our ebook “From Loyalty to Joyalty“, together with Adam Posner.
Woolworths - Good Acts Program
Woolworths’ Good Acts program empowers team members to brighten customers’ days with small, unexpected gestures. From handwritten notes to surprise gifts like chocolates and flowers, these acts of kindness build strong emotional connections with customers.
To explore these insights further, you can read Adam Posner’s white paper here.
Intersoc - Customised Chocolate Bar
Intersoc, a Belgian travel organisation, surprises members with a custom chocolate bar, produced by the Belgian brand Barry Callebaut. This isn’t just a delicious treat; it was a carefully planned Moment of Magic that leaves a lasting impression. The custom packaging linked the joy of the chocolate to the Intersoc brand, making it a perfect example of Joyalty in action.
Recommended Reading for Building a Joyalty Program
- Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara – This book is not just for the hospitality sector. It explores how to create legendary moments of delight that resonate with customers across any industry. Chapter 18, in particular, offers valuable insights into creating Joyalty Moments of Magic (MoMs).
- Brand Currency by Steve Susi – The book that inspired Adam Posner’s concept of Joyalty. It delves into how brands can build emotional currency with customers by creating memorable experiences that go beyond the transactional.
- The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath – This book explores why certain brief experiences can jolt, elevate, and change us—and how we can learn to create such extraordinary moments in our work and personal lives.
- Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee – This book delves into the surprising places where we can find joy in everyday life, and how these joyful moments can be harnessed to create a more fulfilling experience in both personal and professional settings.
- Talk Triggers by Jay Baer and Daniel Lemin – This book provides a detailed guide on creating customer experiences that compel people to talk about your brand, turning customers into your most powerful marketing channel
Conclusion
In a world where customer expectations are higher than ever, brands must go beyond traditional loyalty programs and embrace the concept of Joyalty. By delivering Moments of Magic that surprise and delight, you can create deep emotional connections that turn customers into lifelong advocates.
At Stampix, we live by this philosophy. Our photo rewards are designed to surprise and delight, turning everyday moments into unforgettable memories for brands and their customers. Just like that mountain-top chocolate, our mission is to create Moments of Magic that resonate long after the experience.
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