Tiered Memberships
Create unlimited tiers — free, paid, monthly, annual, or lifetime. Each tier carries its own benefit package, pricing, and renewal cadence.
Loyalty Programs
Loyalty Programs That Go Beyond the Punch Card
Tiered rewards. Phone number lookup, 🌊👋WaveTouch cards, key fobs, QR codes, digital wallet passes — pick how members identify themselves. Visit tracking. Live engagement rewards. Build a loyalty program on infrastructure you own — not a SaaS you rent.
Typical Loyalty Platforms
- Per-member monthly fees that scale against you
- Your member data lives in their database, not yours
- Basic points system with no real engagement tools
- No live event integration — loyalty lives in an app silo
- Switching providers means starting from zero
The NextWave Approach
- Flat pricing — unlimited members, no per-head fees
- Your WordPress database, your data, full export anytime
- Tiered benefits with real usage tracking and limits
- Six live experience tools that make loyalty tangible at events
- REST API and webhooks to integrate with anything
The Building Blocks
How the Pieces Fit Together
Every loyalty program is different. NextWave gives you composable building blocks — combine them to match your business, not the other way around.
Earn
How members accumulate value
- ›Phone number lookup, 🌊👋WaveTouch card, key fob, or sticker tap
- ›QR code scans or digital wallet pass presentation
- ›Purchases via payment webhooks
- ›Campaign participation (signups, ratings, polls)
- ›Referrals through unique QR codes
- ›Volunteer hours and event attendance
Reward
What members get in return
- ›Percentage discounts (10%, 20%, VIP-only)
- ›Fixed-amount credits ($5 off, $25 voucher)
- ›Free items (drink, appetizer, merch)
- ›Exclusive access (VIP entry, speaker dinners)
- ›Prize drawing entries (weighted by tier)
- ›Partner venue perks at other businesses
Retain
How you keep them coming back
- ›Automated renewal reminders (email sequences)
- ›Milestone celebrations at events
- ›Tier upgrades on spending thresholds
- ›Lapsed member win-back campaigns
- ›Live engagement that makes loyalty feel real
- ›Segmented email campaigns by tier and activity
Identify Members Your Way
Six Ways to Identify a Loyalty Member
Not every program needs a plastic card. Choose the identification method that fits your members — or combine several. Every method plugs into the same check-in, redemption, and analytics engine.
Phone Number Lookup
The simplest approach — members give their phone number at the counter. Staff looks them up instantly. No card, no app, no friction.
Ideal for: Walk-in customers, quick-service restaurants, any venue where speed matters
🌊👋WaveTouch Cards
Branded plastic cards with embedded smart chips. Members tap a reader to check in, redeem benefits, or enter drawings. Professional, durable, and fast.
Ideal for: Bars, clubs, gyms, membership orgs that want a premium branded touchpoint
Key Fobs & Tags
Compact 🌊👋WaveTouch key fobs that attach to a keychain. Same tap-to-earn technology as cards, but smaller and always on hand. Great for high-frequency visit programs.
Ideal for: Car washes, parking, gyms, coffee shops — anywhere members visit daily
🌊👋WaveTouch Labels & Stickers
Adhesive 🌊👋WaveTouch stickers members can attach to their phone case, wallet, or badge. Low cost, high convenience. Bulk-deploy at events or mail with welcome kits.
Ideal for: Events, conferences, booster clubs, low-budget programs with high volume
Digital Wallet Passes
Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes that live on the member's phone. Push notifications when benefits unlock or tier status changes. No app download required.
Ideal for: Tech-savvy audiences, organizations that want push notification reach
QR Codes
Unique QR codes per member — printed on a card, displayed in a wallet pass, or shown from an email. Staff scans to identify. Great for self-service check-in kiosks too.
Ideal for: Events, table-tent campaigns, self-service kiosks, partner venue redemptions
Use Cases by Industry
Loyalty Looks Different Everywhere
A nightclub VIP program is nothing like a chamber of commerce membership — but the building blocks are the same. Here's how organizations use NextWave for loyalty across industries.
Bars & Nightlife
- VIP tiers with priority entry, reserved seating, and bottle service discounts
- 🌊👋WaveTouch wristbands, key fobs, or phone number lookup to track visits — 10th visit unlocks a free drink
- Fishbowl drawings for loyalty members only, with bonus entries for higher tiers
- Celebration sets that auto-fire when a regular hits their 50th check-in
- Star ratings after each visit to catch service issues before a loyal guest churns
Chambers & Business Orgs
- Tiered dues (Individual, Business, Corporate Sponsor) each with distinct benefit packages
- 🌊👋WaveTouch badges at networking events — tap to check in, auto-entered into door prize drawing
- Partner venue benefits: members get 10% off at participating local businesses
- Renewal reminders that auto-escalate: 30-day, 14-day, and 3-day nudges before lapse
- Sponsor ROI reports showing exactly which loyalty members redeemed sponsor-funded perks
Booster Clubs & Fan Groups
- Season-pass tiers with game-day perks: sideline access, meet-and-greets, merch discounts
- QR code, 🌊👋WaveTouch sticker, or phone number check-ins at every game build a public "loyalty leaderboard" of most-attended fans
- Celebration reveals for milestone donors on the stadium jumbotron
- Would You Rather polls at halftime — loyalty members vote, winner gets announced live
- Wallet passes that double as digital season tickets and loyalty cards
Nonprofits & Causes
- Donor tiers (Supporter, Champion, Patron) with escalating recognition and access
- Recurring donation webhooks auto-upgrade tier status — $50/mo becomes Champion automatically
- Check-in tracking at volunteer events earns credits toward exclusive benefits
- Signup campaigns for advocacy actions — each action counts toward loyalty milestones
- Anniversary celebration sets that publicly honor 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year donors
Restaurants & Cafes
- Visit-based rewards: phone number, 🌊👋WaveTouch card, or key fob tap at the counter — 8th visit earns a free menu item
- Tiered loyalty (Regular, Gold, Platinum) with increasing discounts per tier
- QR table-tent ratings campaigns capture feedback while the meal is fresh
- Birthday celebration benefit auto-assigned when member profile has a DOB
- Partner venue cross-promotion: loyalty members get perks at neighboring shops
Conferences & Events
- Early-bird and VIP ticket tiers with speaker dinner access, front-row seating, swag bags
- 🌊👋WaveTouch badges for session check-ins — track which talks each attendee visited
- Ask the Speaker sessions gated to loyalty-tier attendees for exclusive Q&A
- Post-session star ratings feed into next year's speaker selection
- Fishbowl prize drawings where VIP badge-holders get automatic 3x entries
The Loyalty Toolkit
Every Feature, a Loyalty Feature
These aren't add-ons — they're built into the platform. Every tool in NextWave doubles as a loyalty mechanism.
Benefit Redemption Tracking
Define benefits with usage limits per day, week, month, year, or lifetime. Track every redemption. Know exactly who redeemed what, where, and when.
Flexible Member Identification
Phone number lookup, 🌊👋WaveTouch cards, key fobs, 🌊👋WaveTouch stickers, QR codes, or digital wallet passes — choose what fits your audience. Mix methods across tiers or locations.
Digital Wallet Passes
Apple Wallet and Google Wallet passes that serve as loyalty cards. Push updates when tier status changes or new benefits unlock.
Venue Check-in Tracking
Track visits across owned locations and partner venues. Phone lookup, 🌊👋WaveTouch tap, key fob, QR scan, or manual staff entry. Duplicate detection per day.
Automated Renewals & Reminders
Configurable reminder sequences before and after expiration. Stripe and GiveLively webhooks auto-renew memberships on payment.
Loyalty Reward Drawings
Opportunity drawings with four modes. Weight entries by tier level. Confetti reveals on the big screen. Turn visits into chances to win.
Milestone Celebrations
Celebration sets trigger for birthdays, anniversaries, or custom milestones. Recognize loyalty publicly or privately at events.
Feedback & Ratings
QR-powered star ratings capture satisfaction at the point of experience. Track NPS by tier to see if higher-tier members are happier.
Email Marketing Sync
Sync members to Mailchimp, HubSpot, or Constant Contact. Segment by tier, status, and benefit usage for targeted loyalty campaigns.
Partner Venue Benefits
Assign benefits that are redeemable at partner businesses. Track cross-venue redemptions. Build coalition loyalty programs.
Loyalty Analytics via REST API
Full REST API exposes members, redemptions, check-ins, and campaign data. Build custom dashboards, feed BI tools, or integrate with anything.
Beyond the Obvious
Creative Loyalty Plays You Haven't Thought of Yet
The best loyalty programs surprise people. Here are ways to combine NextWave features into experiences your competitors can't copy.
The "Hidden Menu" Unlock
Create a benefit that only appears for members who have checked in 20+ times. The benefit description reveals a secret menu item or experience. Members discover it organically when they hit the threshold.
Check-insBenefitsTiers
Surprise Upgrade Drawings
Run a monthly opportunity drawing where all active members are entered. Winner gets auto-upgraded to the next tier for a month. Use the confetti reveal at a live event for maximum impact.
DrawingsTiersEmcee Tools
Coalition Loyalty Network
Partner venues each run NextWave independently. Members from one venue can redeem specific cross-partner benefits at other locations. Track it all from separate WordPress installs connected through the REST API.
Partner VenuesBenefitsREST API
Gamified Visit Streaks
Use daily check-in tracking to identify visit streaks. At 7 consecutive days, trigger a celebration set and unlock a streak benefit. At 30 days, auto-upgrade to a higher tier.
Check-insCelebrationsTiers
Community Choice Rewards
Run Would You Rather polls to let loyalty members vote on what the next reward should be. "Free appetizer vs. 20% off drinks?" The audience decides, you deliver.
Would You RatherBenefitsCampaigns
Ambassador Referral Tracking
Create a signup campaign with a unique QR code per top-tier member. When someone signs up through that QR, the referrer earns credit toward a bonus benefit. Track referrals through campaign source data.
Signup CampaignsQR CodesBenefits
VIP-Only Live Experiences
Gate emcee tools behind tier level. Only Platinum members see the Ask the Speaker session or the exclusive Caption Clash round. Creates aspirational value for upgrading.
Emcee ToolsTiersFeature Flags
Lapsed Member Win-Back
Renewal reminders trigger for expired members. Combine with a signup campaign offering a "Welcome Back" tier at a discount. Track re-enrollment rates against the campaign.
Renewal RemindersCampaignsTiers
Getting Started
Launch a Loyalty Program in Four Steps
1
Define Your Tiers
Create membership levels with pricing, duration, and benefits. Free, paid, monthly, annual, or lifetime — mix and match.
2
Assign Benefits & Limits
Attach benefits to each tier with usage caps. "2 free drinks per month" or "unlimited 10% discount" — you set the rules.
3
Choose Your ID Method
Phone number lookup, 🌊👋WaveTouch cards, key fobs, stickers, QR codes, digital wallet passes — pick what fits your members, or mix and match.
4
Track & Reward
Every check-in, redemption, and interaction is logged. Use the data to celebrate milestones, trigger upgrades, and run targeted campaigns.
What Makes This Different
Loyalty That People Actually Experience
Most loyalty programs are invisible — a plastic card in a drawer, an app nobody opens. NextWave makes loyalty tangible with six ways to identify members — from a simple phone number to 🌊👋WaveTouch cards, key fobs, stickers, QR codes, and wallet passes. Confetti on the big screen when your name is drawn. A celebration when you hit your 100th visit. A live vote where only VIP members get to decide. That's the difference between a points balance and an emotional connection.
Six live experience tools turn every event into a loyalty moment.
Your Members, Your Data, Your Program
NextWave runs on your WordPress installation. Every member profile, every check-in, every redemption lives in your MySQL database. No API calls to a third-party server to look up your own customers. No surprise price hikes when your loyalty program succeeds. No data hostage situations when you want to leave.
Export everything. Migrate anytime. Your loyalty data is never held hostage.
Ready to Build Your Loyalty Program?
Start free with up to 100 members and 1 venue. Upgrade when you need 🌊👋WaveTouch cards, wallet passes, live experiences, and multi-venue tracking.