· 5 min
A well-timed push notification can bring a customer back who had not thought about you in weeks. Here is how local businesses can use them without annoying anyone.
A customer enjoyed their visit to your barbershop three weeks ago. Life got busy. They have not thought about booking again. Then their phone buzzes: 'Your loyalty reward is ready — book this week and get a free beard trim.' They book within the hour.
What push notifications are
A push notification is a short message delivered directly to a customer's phone, appearing as an alert on their screen. Unlike email, which sits in an inbox and may go unread, a push notification appears immediately. Unlike social media ads, there is no cost-per-click and the audience is people who have already chosen your business.
When push notifications work well for local businesses
- Flash offer — available for a limited time today only
- Reward ready — a customer has earned their reward and can claim it
- Re-engagement — a regular has not visited in longer than usual
- New product — something new has arrived that fits their profile
- Event or seasonal campaign — something happening at your business this week
- Low stock — a popular item is running out and they should come in soon
Examples of effective notification messages
Flash offer
'Two-for-one on all pastries today until 3pm. Come in and treat yourself.' Short. Specific. Has a deadline.
Reward ready
'Great news — you have earned your free coffee! Come in any time this week to claim it.' Feels like good news, not marketing.
Re-engagement
'We have not seen you for a while. Your loyalty points are still here — come in this week and use them.' Low pressure, friendly, relevant.
Birthday offer
'Happy birthday! Enjoy a complimentary treat on us this week — just show this message.' Personal and memorable.
The best push notifications read like a message from a person, not a broadcast from a brand. Write them the way you would text a regular customer.
What to avoid
- Sending more than one or two notifications per week — frequency fatigue leads to opt-outs
- Generic messages with no relevance to the individual customer
- Notifications at bad times — early morning or late evening
- Misleading urgency ('Limited time offer' that runs for three weeks)
- Notifications with no clear benefit to the customer
Up to 4× higher open rate on push notifications vs email newsletters — mobile marketing research
Frequently asked questions
Do customers have to opt in to receive push notifications?
Yes. Customers must agree to receive notifications when they join the loyalty programme. Because they have actively opted in, engagement rates are much higher than with cold advertising.
How long should a push notification be?
As short as possible. Fifty words is plenty. The goal is to communicate one clear message that prompts one clear action.
What is the best time to send a push notification?
Generally mid-morning (10am to noon) or early afternoon (1pm to 3pm). Avoid evenings and early mornings. For food businesses, just before typical meal times can work well.
Can I see whether customers acted on a notification?
With a loyalty platform that tracks visit data, you can compare visit frequency before and after sending a notification to measure its impact.
Send smart push notifications to your loyalty customers with Loyenix