Why and How To Start a Loyalty Program for Your Sewing Store

If you’ve ever thought, “I wish my customers came in more often,” or “It’d be nice to thank the people who shop with me all the time,” a loyalty program might be exactly what you need for your sewing store.

Maybe it’s points they can use toward fabric, or a reward they get after taking a few sewing classes. However you set it up, your loyalty program should make your customers feel appreciated and give them a reason to keep coming back.

In this blog, we’ll cover why a loyalty program matters, what kinds of programs work best for sewing stores, and how to start a loyalty program that feels easy and natural for both you and your customers.

Let’s get started.

Why Start a Loyalty Program?

If you’ve ever had a customer say, “I just love coming in here,” then you already have the foundation of a great loyalty program. 

The reality is, it’s easier to keep a customer than to find a new one. Research shows that 65% of a company’s revenue comes from repeat customers.

For a small, independent quilt shop, loyalty is part of your identity. A good loyalty program gives people a reason to stop by when they might otherwise shop online or head to a chain craft store.

Here are some more benefits of starting a loyalty program:

• 85% of shoppers say a loyalty program increases the chances they’ll keep coming back.
• 81% of businesses with loyalty programs say it helped them weather tough economic times.
• 84% of customers are more likely to stay loyal to brands that reward them.

How To Start a Loyalty Program in 8 Easy Steps

It might sound a little overwhelming at first, but starting a loyalty program can be pretty simple. Once you break it down, it becomes a fun way to show your regulars just how much you appreciate them. 

Here’s how to start a loyalty program for your sewing store in eight easy steps.

1. Define the Goals of Your Loyalty Program 

Before you start brainstorming rewards or designing punch cards, it’s important to ask yourself what you want this program to do for your business.

You might be hoping to:

• Encourage customers to come in more. 
• Increase the size of each purchase.
• Boost class sign-ups.
• Reward referrals.

Or maybe you want to do it all. But as you’re getting started, focus on one or two main goals to keep things manageable. 

For example:

“I want more of my regular customers to stop in monthly, not just once a quarter.”
“I want to thank my best shoppers in a way that truly makes them feel appreciated.”

Clear goals help you pick the right type of program and keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

Related Read: 7 Ways To Increase Customer Loyalty in Your Fabric Store

2. Choose a Loyalty Program Type

The best type of loyalty program is the one your customers actively use and easily understand.

Here are a few solid loyalty program options for quilt and fabric shops:

• Points per purchase: Customers earn points based on how much they spend, like one point per dollar spent. Once they hit a certain amount, they get a reward (say, $5 off their next purchase).
• Punch or stamp cards: This can be something like, “buy 10 yards of fabric, get one yard free” or “attend five classes and get a coupon.”
• Tiered rewards: The more customers spend over time, the more perks they unlock (silver, gold, and platinum levels).
• Referral bonuses: When a customer brings in a friend, both get a reward — like bonus points or a freebie.

3. Plan the Details of Your Loyalty Program

Once you’ve chosen the type of loyalty program that fits your sewing shop, it’s time to figure out how it works in practice.

Think about these details:

• How do customers earn points? Maybe it’s through purchases, class sign-ups, or referrals.
• How can they redeem points? They can redeem their points for perks like discounts, free fabric, or early access to new products.
• Do points expire? Some shops let points roll over indefinitely, while others have them expire after six to 12 months.
• Are any items excluded? Maybe you want to exclude machines, clearance, or classes.

As soon as you have your ideal loyalty program mapped out, practice explaining your program in one or two sentences. Try to make it something easy for customers and staff to remember. 

For example, you might say: “Earn one point for every dollar you spend, and get $5 off when you reach 100 points!”

4. Set Up the Loyalty Program in Your POS System

After planning your rewards and how customers can earn them, the next step is putting your loyalty program into action. Your point of sale (POS) system can make this much easier.

Instead of manually recording purchases or managing paper punch cards, a modern POS system can:

• Assign points or rewards automatically at checkout.
• Track customer purchases over time.
• Alert staff when a customer has rewards to redeem.
• Keep your program consistent across in-store and online sales.
• Provide reporting tools to help you measure your program’s performance.

If your current system doesn’t support loyalty features, it might be a good time to explore a POS system that does.

It’s important to invest in a POS solution built specifically for quilt and fabric shops that makes rewarding your customers simple and effective. With the right software, you can create a custom points and rewards structure, have it run automatically at checkout, and manage it across your storefront and e-commerce website. Best of all, if it’s designed for quilt and fabric shops like yours, you don’t need to try to force-fit a generic tool into your creative business.

5. Train Your Team

No matter how simple your program is, everyone who helps out in your store needs to know how it works. After all, they’re the ones who talk to customers about it, sign them up, and apply rewards.

Your team (or you, if you’re a solo act) needs to:

• Explain the program clearly: A quick and friendly script makes a big difference. You can say something like, “We’ve got a new loyalty program — every dollar you spend earns points you can use for rewards later. It’s free to join!”
• Sign up new customers: Make it quick, simple, and part of the natural checkout flow. If your POS system supports it, all you may need is a name, phone number, or email address. 
• Check point balances: Most POS systems show this automatically during checkout — just be sure your team knows where to look.
• Apply rewards: Make sure whoever is at the register knows when and how to redeem a reward, and what to say if a customer asks how close they are to their next perk.

6. Announce Your Program to Customers

When your loyalty program is set up and your team is ready, it’s time to share the news.

Even the best loyalty program can’t help if no one knows about it. But don’t worry, this doesn’t have to be a big production.

Here are some easy ways to spread the word:

• Display signs in your store: A sign at your checkout counter, near the cutting table, or at the front door can spark interest. Your sign might feature a message like this: “We love our loyal customers! Ask us about our new rewards program.”
• Mention at checkout: Just a quick “Did you want to join our rewards program?” can go a long way.
• Send an email announcement: If you have a newsletter list, send a short and friendly note introducing the program, explaining how it works, and sharing why you started it.
• Share on social media: Post a quick photo of a popular reward — like a designer fabric bundle — or one of your regulars who has already earned something.
• Add to your website: If you have an online store or even a basic homepage, add a little banner or blurb that explains the program. 

The key is repetition. Some customers don’t notice the first mention, but if they hear about it a few times in different places, they start asking about it and signing up.

7. Track Your Results and Refine

After your program is active for a month or two, take some time to check in to see how it’s working. 

Look for the following simple signs that it’s doing what you hoped:

• Are customers signing up?
• Are they earning and redeeming rewards?
• Is it helping bring people back more often?

If your POS offers built-in reports, you can quickly see which rewards are most popular, who your top customers are, and whether the program is increasing your sales. 

And if it’s not quite clicking yet, that’s okay. Loyalty programs are meant to evolve. Maybe the reward amount is too hard to reach, or customers don’t know how to sign up. Try changing the points structure, adjusting the messaging, or adding a fun bonus (like double points in slow months or a birthday fabric freebie).

Related Read: How To Build a Loyal Customer Base for Quilt Shops

8. Keep Your Customers Engaged

With your loyalty program up and running, it’s important to keep it feeling fresh and give people little nudges to stay involved. 

Here are a few straightforward ways to keep your loyalty program lively:

• Run double-point days: Pick a quiet week or a seasonal lull and let your customers earn twice the points for a limited time.
• Celebrate milestones: Did a customer reach 500 points? Attend their 10th class? Spend their birthday in your shop? A small reward — even a free fat quarter, charm pack, or spool of thread — shows that you notice and care. If you’re using a POS system that tracks customer birthdays or purchase history, you can automate some of these bonus gifts.
• Add occasional surprises: Now and then, drop a surprise reward into someone’s account. Maybe it’s a quiet thank you for shopping three months in a row, or a little something just because.

How To Start a Loyalty Program With Like Sew

Managing a loyalty program doesn’t have to be too much extra work on your plate. With the right POS system, starting a loyalty program can be an easy way to deepen your customer relationships and boost sales.

Unlike generic POS systems, Like Sew is an all-in-one solution built specifically for quilt and fabric shops. It understands the kind of business you’re running — whether you’re selling fat quarters and precuts, hosting classes, or planning a block-of-the-month (BOM) program.

With our cloud-based software, your loyalty program is fully integrated into your POS and e-commerce systems, which means:

• Points are automatically assigned during checkout.
• Customers can easily see their point balance and rewards (online or in store).
• Your team can apply rewards with just a click, and the system keeps track of everything.
• You can run reports to see what’s working, which rewards are popular, and who your most loyal shoppers are.

Since it’s all connected, you only have to set it up once, then let it run in the background while you focus on your customers, classes, and creativity.

Ready to give your customers one more reason to keep coming back? Schedule a demo today to learn how Like Sew can help you build the kind of loyalty that lasts.