Turning intention into loyalty
Editor’s note: Renata Freund is the founder and director of Honeycomb Strategy. To view the full report visit honeycombstrategy.com.au/digital-insights-series (registration required).
Most loyalty programs don’t fail because customers don’t sign up, they fail because customers stop engaging. The challenge isn’t recruitment, it’s retention.
Behavioral science offers a powerful lens to understand why. It exposes the say-do gap – the disconnect between what customers say motivates them and what actually drives their behavior. Traditional approaches that rely solely on stated preference research often overemphasize motivation: What people claim they value in a program. When brands act on this alone, they risk building schemes that look appealing on paper, yet underperform in practice.
The Fogg Behavior Model moves beyond what customers say and uncovers how they really behave, guiding brands to focus on all three levers that drive action.
Motivation × Ability × Prompt = Active engagement
When one of these elements is missing, engagement and ROI quickly declines.
Motivation: They have to want it
Motivation is the “why” behind participation. But not all incentives are created equal. The most successful programs align their rewards naturally with brand purpose and customer context. For some, that’s points and perks; for others, it’s access, exclusivity or experiences.
The standout programs go beyond expectations – financially, emotionally or experientially. What matters most is that rewards feel generous and personal, triggering the law of reciprocity. Crucially, a voucher feels like a gift; a discount feels like a deal. Even when identical in value, the brain codes them differently and only one builds emotional connection.
Still, many brands over-index on motivation because that’s what customers talk about in research. The real barriers to engagement often sit elsewhere – in ability and prompt.
Ability: Make it effortless
Even highly-motivated customers won’t engage if it’s hard to do so. Our research shows that the biggest engagement drop-offs occur not from lack of interest but from friction – confusing sign-ups, clunky systems or unattainable thresholds.
Top tips:
- Make early wins easy: Lower entry barriers to build quick habit formation.
- Align with the buying cycle: Infrequent categories like travel or automotive should focus on brand choice at repurchase, not unnatural frequency.
- Fix friction first: When engagement dips, simplify before adding rewards.
Prompt: Remind and reinforce
Even the most loyal customers need a nudge. Consistent prompts at key moments, most importantly at checkout, are vital. Without them, customers assume the program isn’t valued by the brand, and disengagement follows fast.
Make prompts meaningful. “You’re one purchase away from your next reward” reignites motivation far more effectively than generic reminders.
Closing the say-do gap
When brands rely only on what customers say, they design programs heavy on motivation but light on action. The Fogg Model – validated through behavioral data – shows that true loyalty success depends on balancing motivation, ability and prompt.
Ask yourself:
- Do they want to engage? (Motivation)
- Can they easily engage? (Ability)
- Are we reminding them effectively? (Prompt)
Get those three rights, and you close the say-do gap, turning intention into genuine behavior-driven loyalty.