Create Your First Loyalty Programme

A Loytu programme is the loyalty offer your customers join.

It controls how your digital loyalty card looks, how customers earn stamps and what they receive when they complete their card.

For example, a nail technician might create:

Collect six appointment stamps and receive a complimentary gel upgrade.

A hair salon might offer:

Collect eight stamps and receive £10 off your next qualifying appointment.

This guide takes you through creating your first programme from beginning to end.

Before you start

Before opening the programme builder, decide three things:

1. What action will earn a stamp?
2. How many stamps will the customer need?
3. What reward will they receive?

Keep your first programme simple.

A clear offer is easier for customers to understand, easier for staff to explain and easier for your business to operate consistently.

You may also want to prepare:

• A square version of your business logo
• Your preferred brand colours
• A short description of the reward
• Any basic programme terms
• Your website or social media links

Open the programme builder

To create a programme:

1. Sign in at app.loytu.com.
2. Open My Programs.
3. Select Create a Program.

This opens the programme builder, where you can configure the design, business details and reward.

Add your logo or programme icon

Upload an image that customers will recognise as belonging to your business.

This could be:

• Your business logo
• Your initials
• A recognisable brand icon
• A simple treatment-related graphic

A square image normally works best because it needs to display clearly within a digital wallet card.

After uploading the image, Loytu may suggest colours taken from it. You can use these suggestions or choose your own colours.

Choose your card colours

Select the main colours used on the digital loyalty card.

Background colour

This is the primary colour of the card.

Choose a colour that fits your business branding and helps the card stand out inside the customer’s phone wallet.

Text colour

This is used for the programme name, reward information and other card details.

Choose a text colour with strong contrast against the background.

For example:

• Dark text on a light background
• Light text on a dark background

Avoid combinations where the wording becomes difficult to read.

The preview will show how the card looks while you make changes.

Add your company name

Enter the business or brand name customers will recognise.

For example:

• Bella’s Nail Studio
• The Haven Beauty Lounge
• Sam’s Barber Shop

Use the same name customers see on your website, booking page, salon signage or social media accounts.

Name your programme

Add a short name for the loyalty programme.

The programme name helps customers identify the card and also helps you distinguish between programmes in your dashboard.

Examples include:

• Nail Appointment Rewards
• Haircut Loyalty Card
• Lash Client Rewards
• Beauty Treatment Club
• Barber Visit Rewards

Keep the name concise enough to display clearly on a phone screen.

The programme name does not need to explain the complete offer. The reward description can provide the additional detail.

Choose how many stamps are required

Set the number of stamps a customer must collect to reach the final reward.

The right number depends on:

• How frequently customers normally visit
• The value of each appointment or purchase
• The cost of the reward to your business
• How quickly you want customers to experience their first reward

For a first programme, choose a target that feels achievable.

A customer who visits every three weeks may remain interested in a six-visit reward. A 15-visit programme could take so long that the reward feels out of reach.

The programme should reward loyalty without requiring your business to give away too much value too quickly.

Add the reward description

The reward description explains:

• What customers must do
• What reward they will receive
• Any important conditions

A good description is specific and easy to understand.

Nail technician example

Collect six stamps from qualifying nail appointments and receive a complimentary basic nail art upgrade. One stamp per completed appointment.

Hair salon example

Collect eight stamps and receive £10 off your next qualifying hair appointment. The reward cannot be combined with another offer.

Lash technician example

Collect five stamps from full-set or infill appointments and receive £10 off your next treatment.

Avoid vague descriptions such as:

Collect stamps and receive a reward.

Customers should know what they are working towards before they join.

Loytu may also provide an assistant within the programme builder to help draft a reward description using the programme name and required stamp count.

Review any suggested wording before using it to make sure it accurately reflects your offer.

Add simple programme terms

Include any terms customers and staff need to understand.

Terms might explain:

• Which treatments or purchases qualify
• Whether there is a minimum spend
• How many stamps can be earned per visit
• Whether the reward can be combined with another offer
• Where the reward can be redeemed
• Whether particular services are excluded
• Whether the programme is limited to one customer

Keep the terms proportionate.

A straightforward appointment loyalty programme should not require several paragraphs of complicated conditions.

For example:

One stamp per completed qualifying appointment. The reward cannot be exchanged for cash or combined with another discount.

Clear terms help your team apply the programme consistently and reduce disagreements when a customer reaches their reward.

Add milestone rewards

Where the milestone option is available in your programme builder, you can add smaller rewards that customers reach before completing the whole card.

For example:

• 3 stamps: Complimentary nail art
• 6 stamps: Free gel upgrade
• 10 stamps: £10 off the next appointment

The reward at ten stamps is the final reward. The earlier rewards are milestones.

Milestones can make a longer programme feel more achievable, but they also add complexity.

For your first programme, you may prefer to use one final reward and introduce milestones later.

Add your website and social links

Where these fields are available, you can add your business website and social media profiles to the programme.

Supported links may include platforms such as:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• TikTok
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Threads
• X
• Another relevant web page

Use links that help the customer continue their relationship with your business.

For a beauty professional, the most useful link may be:

• Your booking page
• Your main website
• Your Instagram profile
• Your treatment menu
• Your contact page

Check each URL carefully before creating the programme.

Review the card preview

As you build the programme, review the digital wallet preview.

Check:

• The logo is clear
• The company name is correct
• The programme name fits
• The reward is understandable
• The colours are readable
• The stamp target is correct
• There are no spelling mistakes
• Your links open the intended pages
• The card still looks clear on a small screen

Do not rely only on how the editor appears on a large computer monitor. The finished card will usually be viewed on a customer’s phone.

Create the programme

Once you are satisfied with the design and reward details, select Create Program.

Loytu will create the programme and add it to My Programs.

Open the new programme to access its management and sharing tools.

These may include:

• The public customer joining link
• Downloadable QR codes
• Printable poster or display templates
• Programme statistics
• Customer card information
• The scanning tool
• Programme editing controls

Creating the programme does not automatically mean customers have joined. You must share its public link or QR code so they can collect their own card.

Test the programme before launching it

If you need more background first, review how Loytu’s core loyalty concepts work. During testing, follow the guides to scanning and stamping a card and redeeming rewards correctly. Hair businesses can also use the dedicated guide to creating a hair salon loyalty programme.

Before promoting the programme to customers, complete a test of the full journey.

1. Open the public link

View the programme as a customer would.

Check that the business name, reward and design appear correctly.

2. Collect a test card

Use the public programme page to create a customer card.

This helps you understand the steps your customers will follow.

3. Open or save the card

Check how the card appears through its web link and, where applicable, inside Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.

4. Scan the card

Open Loytu’s scanning tool and scan the QR code shown on the test card.

5. Issue a test stamp

Add a stamp and confirm that the customer card updates correctly.

6. Check the reward workflow

Make sure you understand what staff will see when a milestone or final reward becomes available.

Testing the programme before launch allows you to answer customer questions and identify any wording that needs improving.

Share the programme with customers

Once tested, share the programme using its public link or QR code.

You could place it:

• At the salon reception
• Beside the payment terminal
• On a nail desk or treatment station
• On a mirror
• Inside an aftercare card
• In an appointment confirmation
• In a WhatsApp message
• On Instagram
• In your link-in-bio page
• On your website

Loytu can provide themed and black-and-white QR-code options, as well as printable poster or display templates.

Place the code somewhere customers naturally look before paying or leaving.

Introduce the programme clearly

Do not rely on customers noticing the QR code without explanation.

Use a simple introduction such as:

Would you like our digital loyalty card? There is nothing to download, and today’s appointment can count towards your first reward.

Staff should understand:

• Who can join
• What earns a stamp
• When the stamp is issued
• What the customer receives
• How to redeem the reward

Consistency is more important than giving a long explanation.

Can you edit the programme later?

You can open an existing programme from My Programs and use its editing controls to update supported details.

However, it is better to check the core reward and stamp requirements carefully before launching.

Changing a live offer can confuse customers who have already begun collecting stamps.

Before making a significant change, consider:

• Whether existing cardholders will still receive the reward they joined for
• Whether staff understand the new rules
• Whether your public signs and messages need updating
• Whether creating a separate new programme would be clearer

Common first-programme mistakes

Requiring too many stamps

A reward that takes too long to reach can feel unachievable.

Choosing a reward customers do not value

A low-cost reward is only effective when it is still appealing to the customer.

Making the rules too complicated

Too many exclusions, service categories or reward levels can make the programme difficult to explain.

Using an unclear programme name

Customers should be able to recognise the card when they see it on their phone.

Using colours with poor contrast

A stylish design still needs to be readable.

Forgetting to test the customer experience

Always collect, scan and stamp a test card before launching.

Displaying the QR code without mentioning it

Staff should actively introduce the programme during checkout.

First programme checklist

Before sharing your programme, confirm that:

• Your business name is correct
• Your logo displays clearly
• The programme name is easy to recognise
• The reward is specific
• The stamp target is achievable
• Qualifying appointments or purchases are clear
• Any essential terms have been included
• Colours are readable
• Website and social links are correct
• You have collected a test card
• You have successfully scanned it
• You have issued a test stamp
• Staff know when to offer and stamp the card
• The public link or QR code is ready to share

Your first programme is now ready to help turn qualifying appointments and purchases into a visible reason for customers to return.