Also, here is an online generator to aid in work:

http://www.webschematics.com/html/formmaker.html

Some find task to be just too time-consuming and demanding. Others have a webhost which does not allow CGI forms.

A simple, quick way to use forms without all of work of creating and uploading them to your site is to use a remotely-hosted script you will find for free at this site:

http://www.response-o-matic.com/

Here are many more remotely hosted resources at this site:

http://www.cgi-resources.com/Remotely_Hosted/

Whichever path you take, be sure to recognize importance of using forms in your online work.

They are worth effort to set up and use for gathering all kinds of information in a fairly secure way.

Larry Johnson, author

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Give them a card (or a username & password) that they could use to get discounts on ALL succeeding purchases made for a year -- then give them option to renew their card privileges, either through more purchases or an outright renewal fee.

2) Points Equals Products

But if you're not too keen on having too many people getting too many products for marked-down prices, then consider setting aside a number of items as giveaways, which loyal customers can get after earning enough "points."

(Something those credit card companies are doing all time!)

Just award a proportionate number of points for each purchase a client makes, then encourage them to earn more points so they can get this or that for free.

At its best it will encourage them to make more repeat purchases -- and help you get more marketing mileage when you brand those giveaway items as well.

3) Raffle Tickets For Purchases

This is quite similar to "points for purchases routine," but instead of "points" they need to accumulate a total amount in purchases in exchange for a raffle ticket; usually amount required is low enough to encourage people to get more than one ticket, but high enough to make effort of printing tickets worthwhile for store.

(Online, however, you don't need to have anything printed: Just create uniquely generated pages and/or assign raffle numbers for your clients to hold on to, and enter them into your draw!)

The prizes here have to be larger, too, ranging from electronic gadgets to vacation trips. These will depend entirely on how long you want raffle period to go on, how many raffle tickets/numbers you are prepared to assign, and how much money you can actually spend on prizes.

And speaking of big prizes, it pays to recruit partners for a raffle, too. Not only could they help provide for prizes out of their own inventories; they could also help spread word by distributing raffle tickets, themselves.

4) Club Membership

Finally, you can also choose to reward loyal clients by creating an exclusive membership club just for them: a club with specific benefits, discounts, and privileges.

You can either host this club entirely online, or maybe schedule offline activities as well (so members could get chance to actually meet each other).

Just be sure to make club membership advantages attractive enough for them to want to join -- and synergetic enough with your existing business focus so it will benefit YOU as well.

But Don't Forget Bookmarks! -------------------------------

Although not entirely effective on their own, bookmarks can also increase your loyalty programs' success when coupled with right rewards.

So keep on telling surfers to "bookmark your page," change your bookmark icon into a discount card, and alter your page titles to make them remember benefits of returning to your store.

Given right incentives, clients are usually smart enough to return to same store over and over -- and WE should always be smart enough to appreciate their coming back.

© Tatiana Velitchkov