Rule: Reward Champions

Recognise a member the moment they become a Champion — recognition, not a discount

Needs the Smart Segmentation add-on

This playbook runs on RFM segments, which come with the Smart Segmentation add-on. If you don't see RFM: tags in your tag picker, the add-on isn't active for your business. Ask your provider to switch it on.

Cheat sheet — a Rule, ~5 minutes

Step 1 — Pick Rule, name it Reward Champions.

Step 2 — Trigger: Tagged, with the tag RFM:Champions.

Step 3 — Stack two actions:

• Send asset → Champion thank-you Gift (a treat, not a deep discount).
• Send SMS / notification → recognition template.

Step 4 — Save, set Active.

Fires once, when a member first reaches Champion status. Keep the cadence light — Champions come back anyway; this is about being seen.

This playbook builds a Rule that fires the moment RFM moves a member into the Champions segment — your smallest group by count and largest by revenue — and gives them a genuine token of recognition. The shape mirrors Win back At Risk exactly; only the tag and the intent differ. Here the intent is recognition, not persuasion.

What you'll build

When the nightly RFM run tags a member RFM:Champions for the first time, this Rule:

1. Fires on the Tagged trigger as the tag lands.
2. Sends a Champion Gift — a free item, an upgrade, early access — and a warm message that names the recognition.
3. Fires once per time a member reaches Champion status; re-applying the tag on someone who's still a Champion is a no-op, so there's no monthly barrage.

When to use this

Use it once RFM is on and you want your best members to feel seen the moment they earn it. The most valuable thing you can give a Champion isn't a discount — it's recognition and access. Treat this Rule as the "make them feel seen" half of your Champion strategy; pair it with the lighter-touch ideas under Variations.

Before you start

3 prerequisites — RFM on, a recognition Gift, and a message template

• RFM is switched on for your brand. The RFM:Champions tag only exists once segmentation is running. RFM comes with the Smart Segmentation add-on and is set up for your business when the add-on is switched on (see Tuned to your kind of venue).
• A recognition Gift exists under Benefits → Gifts. Make it feel like a thank you, not a coupon — a free signature item, a complimentary upgrade, a "first dibs" pass. Avoid framing it as a percentage off. See Gifts.
• A recognition message template exists under Comm. Templates. An SMS or a push notification both work; warm, personal, and explicitly about recognition ("You're one of our favourite regulars — here's a little thank-you"). See SMS template.

Walkthrough

Smart Campaigns live under Marketing → Smart campaigns. Click Create campaign.

Step 1 — Campaign details

Pick Rule, name it Reward Champions, and use the description to record the intent and cadence ("Fires when a member becomes a Champion; recognition gift + SMS, light touch").

Step 2 — When (trigger + audience)

• Trigger: Tagged, tag RFM:Champions.
• Audience — leave as all registered members (or narrow to those with the consent you need for your chosen channel).
• Timing — At any date and time.
• Rate cap — optional; Tagged already fires once per entry into the segment.

Step 3 — Actions

Two stacked actions:

Action 1 — Send asset → your Champion recognition Gift, Quantity 1, No delay.

Action 2 — Send SMS (or Send notification) → your recognition template, No delay.

Step 4 — Preview

Confirm Kind is Rule, trigger reads Tagged → RFM:Champions, two actions. Save, then set Active.

Variations

4 ways to recognise Champions — birthday, invites, reviews, early access

Champion birthday gift. Run the Birthday gift playbook but narrow its audience to RFM:Champions, and make the birthday Gift more generous than your standard one. A Champion's birthday is the highest-value recognition moment you have.

Invite them to launches and tastings. Use a Future Campaign (one-time action) targeting the RFM:Champions audience to push an invite to a soft opening, a tasting, or an early-access window. Champions are the members most likely to show up and to talk about it.

Ask for reviews and referrals. Champions are the members most likely to oblige. A Send SMS with a review link (built as a magic link in a Comm. Template) turns goodwill into public proof.

Early access, not deeper discounts. Give Champions first rather than cheaper — early access to a new menu, a reservation window, a limited drop. Access scales recognition without eroding margin.

Gotchas

3 things that commonly trip people up

• Don't turn recognition into a standing discount. A Champion who learns they get 20% off every month becomes a trained discount-hunter, not a Champion. Keep rewards occasional and treat-shaped — the Segments page explains why.
• Champions move. A Champion today can be At Risk in three months. This Rule recognises them on entry; pair it with Win back At Risk so the same member is caught if they start slipping later.
• It needs RFM running. No segmentation, no RFM:Champions tag, nothing to fire on. If the tag isn't in the picker, the Smart Segmentation add-on isn't active for your business.