Creating a VIP program isn't an uncommon practice these days for brands, the challenge now is making customers actually excited about your VIP tiers and the rewards on offer.
In this guide, We show you exactly how to transform your VIP program from another forgotten membership into an experience customers genuinely love and actively promote to their friends. Plus, I'll reveal five specific VIP strategies that go far beyond typical discount codes—tactics that create genuine excitement and turn your top customers into passionate brand advocates.
What makes a VIP program actually worth joining?
A VIP program is a program within your customer loyalty system that provides increasing rewards based on a customers lifetime spend. Once customers reach certain spend milestones - they are able to redeem and receive special rewards not available to other customers.
VIP programs are specifically designed to make your highest-value customers feel genuinely special and exclusively connected to your brand. Unlike basic loyalty programs that focus on transactional rewards, effective VIP programs create emotional connections and memorable experiences.
The key difference between forgettable VIP programs and ones customers love lies in exclusivity and personalization. Customers don't just want better discounts—they want access to experiences, products, and opportunities that money alone can't buy.
Research shows that 73% of consumers are willing to pay more for brands that offer exclusive experiences, and VIP program members typically spend 3-5x more than regular customers over their lifetime. However, most brands fail to capitalize on this opportunity because they treat VIP status as just another discount tier rather than a gateway to extraordinary experiences.
Why most VIP programs fail to create excitement
The biggest mistake brands make is assuming VIP customers want the same rewards as regular customers, just "more" of them. A 25% discount instead of 15%. Free shipping instead of reduced shipping. Birthday points instead of birthday discounts.
This approach completely misses what drives VIP customer psychology. These customers have already demonstrated they're willing to spend significantly with your brand. They don't need more ways to save money—they need reasons to feel special, connected, and proud of their relationship with your brand.
VIP customers want exclusivity, personalization, and experiences that make them feel like insiders rather than just high-spending consumers. They want stories to share, access others don't have, and treatment that acknowledges their status as your brand's most valuable supporters.
5 VIP Program Strategies That Create Genuine Customer Excitement
1. Exclusive Discounts That Feel Personal, Not Generic
While discounts alone won't create VIP excitement, the right approach to exclusive pricing can make members feel truly valued. The key is making discounts feel personal and earned rather than automated and impersonal.
Instead of blanket "VIP gets 25% off everything," create targeted exclusive offers based on individual customer behavior and preferences. If a VIP member frequently browses your premium collection but hasn't purchased, offer early access to that specific category at a special rate.
Consider exclusive pricing structures that acknowledge their loyalty journey: "Because you've been with us for 18 months, here's your personal 30% discount on the items you've been watching." This approach makes the discount feel like recognition of their relationship with your brand, not just another promotional email.
Create "VIP-only pricing" on select premium items rather than across-the-board discounts. This maintains your brand's value perception while giving VIPs access to pricing that feels exclusive and earned.
2. Exclusive VIP Events That Build Community
Nothing creates VIP excitement like exclusive events that make members feel part of an inner circle. These events should focus on community building, brand connection, and experiences that provide social media-worthy moments.
Meet the Founders/Designers Sessions: Host intimate virtual or in-person conversations where VIP members can directly interact with your brand's leadership. These sessions might include behind-the-scenes stories, design process insights, or Q&A opportunities that make members feel like brand insiders.
VIP Member Meetups: Facilitate connections between your top customers through exclusive networking events, styling parties, or product launch celebrations. When VIP members meet each other, they create a community that extends beyond their individual relationships with your brand.
Exclusive Previews and Launch Parties: Give VIP members first access to new collections through special preview events, whether virtual styling sessions or in-person launch parties. These events should feel celebratory and exclusive, creating anticipation and social sharing opportunities.
Brand Experience Days: Create immersive experiences where VIP members can engage with your brand story—factory tours, design workshops, or collaborative sessions where they influence future products. These experiences create deep emotional connections that transcend typical customer relationships.
3. Exclusive VIP Products That Money Can't Buy
Generic coupons and standard promotional offers won't excite customers who are already willing to pay full price. Instead, create products and experiences that are genuinely exclusive to your VIP tier and unavailable through any other means.
Limited Edition VIP-Only Items: Develop products exclusively for VIP members—special colorways, signed versions, limited edition packaging, or collaborative pieces that acknowledge their status. These items become symbols of membership that create pride and social proof.
Personalized or Customized Products: Offer customization options available only to VIP members, such as monogramming, custom color combinations, or personalized packaging. This creates products that are truly unique and impossible to replicate through regular purchase channels.
Early Access to Collaborations: When you partner with other brands, designers, or influencers, give VIP members exclusive access to collaborative products before they're available to the general public. This positions your VIP program as a gateway to rare and sought-after items.
VIP Member Co-Creation Opportunities: Involve VIP members in product development through exclusive surveys, design voting, or beta testing programs. When they help shape products that later launch publicly, they feel genuine ownership and investment in your brand's success.
4. Early Access to Sales That Creates Anticipation
Early sale access is one of the most requested VIP benefits, but most brands implement it poorly. The key is creating anticipation and making the early access feel substantial and exclusive rather than just a few hours head start.
Meaningful Time Advantages: Give VIP members 24-48 hours of exclusive access rather than just a few hours. This timeframe allows them to browse thoughtfully, share with friends, and feel the full benefit of their status.
VIP-Only Sale Categories: Instead of early access to the same sale everyone else gets, create sale categories exclusively for VIP members. This might include deeper discounts on premium items or access to sale pricing on products that never go on sale publicly.
Personalized Sale Notifications: Alert VIP members about sales on items they've viewed, favorited, or that align with their purchase history. "Your VIP early access starts now—the dresses you've been watching are now 40% off" creates much more excitement than generic sale announcements such as '40% off storewide'.
Exclusive Sale Events: Host sales that are only available to VIP members, featuring products that won't be included in public sales. This creates a sense of true exclusivity and acknowledges their special status with access others simply cannot obtain.
5. Travel to HQ Experiences That Create Brand Ambassadors
Inviting your top VIP customers to your headquarters or primary location creates the ultimate exclusive experience while providing valuable business insights. These experiences transform customers into genuine brand ambassadors and create unforgettable memories.
Customer Advisory Days: Bring small groups of VIP members to your location for structured feedback sessions where they can influence product development, provide input on upcoming collections, and share insights about their customer experience. This makes them feel like genuine business partners rather than just consumers.
Behind-the-Scenes Access: Offer exclusive tours of your operations, design studios, or manufacturing processes. VIP members love seeing how their favorite products are created and meeting the people behind the brand. These experiences create deep emotional connections and provide social media content that promotes your brand authentically.
VIP Product Development Sessions: Involve top customers in hands-on product development activities—testing prototypes, providing feedback on designs, or participating in focus groups for upcoming launches. When they see their input reflected in future products, they become invested advocates for your brand.
Executive Mentorship Programs: For B2B brands or products used by entrepreneurs, offer VIP members access to mentorship or consulting sessions with your leadership team. This transforms the customer relationship into a partnership that extends far beyond product purchases.
These HQ experiences should be carefully planned to provide genuine value to both your brand and the VIP members. Document these sessions for social media content, gather actionable insights for business improvements, and create lasting relationships that drive long-term loyalty and advocacy.
Measuring VIP Program Success
Track metrics that reflect the unique value VIP programs should create:
VIP Member Lifetime Value: Monitor how VIP members' spending patterns evolve compared to their pre-VIP behavior and compared to non-VIP customers of similar value.
Engagement Rate with VIP Experiences: Track participation in exclusive events, redemption of VIP-only offers, and interaction with VIP-specific communications.
VIP Member Retention: Measure how VIP status affects customer retention rates and time between purchases.
Advocacy and Referral Activity: Monitor social media mentions, user-generated content, and referral activity from VIP members to measure their transformation into brand advocates.
Business Impact from VIP Feedback: Track how insights and feedback from VIP members influence product development, customer experience improvements, and business decisions.
Stop Treating VIP Customers Like Regular Customers With Bigger Discounts
You've seen exactly how VIP experiences transform high-value customers into passionate brand advocates. While your competitors offer generic "premium" discounts, are you still missing the opportunity to create genuine excitement and loyalty among your best customers? Loyalty Wizard makes it effortless to build VIP experiences your customers will love and actively promote. Our complete Shopify solution includes everything you need: advanced tier management, exclusive product access, event management tools, and detailed VIP analytics—all without the technical complexity.
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