Launching an affiliate program has proven to be an effective marketing channel to generate brand awareness in the iGaming space. By utilizing affiliate partnerships and building strong relationships, operators can further develop and grow. However, these efforts are futile if there isn’t a strong Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy in place to engage and retain these newly obtained players coming through the affiliate channel.
While affiliates bring players to the brand’s front doorsteps, a significant portion of the brand’s responsibilities fall on implementing strategies to retain those players. This is especially crucial in the highly competitive iGaming industry, given that there has been an increase in the lack of brand loyalty amongst players. In fact, in the UK, it is estimated that players, on average, hold three betting accounts.
With that in mind, we will be exploring several methods to establish a solid foundation for an effective CRM strategy.
Segmentation and Personalization
The most crucial step in building a strong CRM strategy is to understand the players coming through to your platform. This would entail segmenting your players based on product preferences and the different demographic factors (age, location, etc.). By segmenting your players, you will be able to send your communication accordingly, as you will be able to target them directly with offers or news that will present value to them.
Further segmentation can be achieved based on the player’s behavior and interaction with the gaming site and product. For example, identifying whether someone is a “casino” or “sportsbook” player enables targeted sharing of offers and news content that is specific to that vertical, such as March Madness or new slots games being released.
Segmentation can also extend to your affiliate program, allowing personalized communication and valuable content tailored to affiliates. If you’re interested in learn more, click here for more information.
Rewarding Returning Players
Once there is a deeper understanding of the players frequenting your gaming site, it becomes quite important to incentivize and, in turn, reward these returning players. This can be done by implementing a tiered loyalty program that gives returning players access to exclusive bonuses, events, merchandise, and more based on their level of engagement. Additionally, a VIP program can be introduced for higher value players, where they have access to additional benefits, enhancing their overall gaming experience.
Multi-Channel Engagement
Brands should explore alternative methods to connect with both existing and potential players. This can be achieved by expanding the available channels through which players can reach out or establish direct contact with the brand. Building a sense of community plays an important role and can contribute towards customer loyalty. Some of these channels include email/phone number that is included on the gaming site, live chat support, newsletter, surveys and feedback, webinars or live events, forums, social media, etc.
Timely Responses and Regular Cadence of Communication
While having various communication methods for players is quite beneficial, its significance is undermined when there is no timely response and an overall lack of regular communication cadence. Making sure affiliates feel supported is vital and getting back to them in a timely fashion helps build the trust within the partnership.
Looking Forward
To conclude, there are endless ways to build a strong CRM strategy, but the key lies in understanding and segmenting players based on their demographics and behavior. A strong affiliate program along with a stronger player CRM approach can lead to sustained success.
We suggest diving into these concepts with your affiliate manager to ensure you’re getting the most out of your affiliate program! Reach out today if you’d like to discuss how to improve in these areas.
