Traditional loyalty programs reward past behaviour. But that’s no longer enough. Today’s diners expect more: real-time relatable value, personalised offers, and reasons to come back again and again.

That’s why Liven offers a dual-engine approach to loyalty: real-time branded Rewards that engage customers in the moment they transact and Brandollars that bank future dining intent through prepaid incentives.

This guide outlines how each works, where they’re most effective, and how to use them for your business.

Brandollars: Prepaid, Branded Currency

Brandollars are prepaid, branded currency that customers buy and spend exclusively within your brand’s ecosystem. You control how they’re issued, how they’re redeemed, and who pays for them (receiving venue, issuing venue, or Liven). 

Customers buy Brandollar packs because venues typically offer a bonus % on the purchase value as an incentive. For instance, a $80 Brandollar pack will give your guests $100 to spend at your venue. The additional $20 acts as an incentive for guests to return and keep spending more. 

How Brandollars Work for Your Business:

• Brand-exclusive spending: Redeemable only within a specific brand or group.

• Prepaid Model: Customers purchase Brandollars with bonus value included (e.g., Pay $100, get $125).

• Increased transaction sizes: Customers with prepaid credit often spend beyond their Brandollar balance.

• Custom Payer Model: Cost coverage can be assigned to the receiving venue, issuing venue (escrow), or Liven.

• Additional Incentives Possible: Businesses can choose to offer further incentives even when Brandollars are used for payment.

• Brand Control: Custom naming and full configuration of bonus percentages are available, especially for enterprise use.

Implementation Best Practices for Brandollars

• Start with attractive bonuses: 25-50% bonuses typically drive strong adoption

• Create seasonal campaigns: Promote during gift-giving seasons or before slow periods

• Customise naming: Use brand-specific names that resonate with your customers

• Set expiration policies: Balance customer value with operational needs

Rewards: Flexible, Multi-Venue Currency

Rewards are a digital currency designed to incentivise and reward customers for transacting within the Liven network of merchants. They function as a flexible loyalty currency that users earn every time they pay with Liven at no additional cost to you. Rewards are issued instantly, accumulate over time, and can be spent back at participating venues.

These Rewards are white-labeled to your brand and fully customisable (e.g., “Scoops” for a gelato store). You define the reward value, when it’s issued, and how it’s redeemed, turning every transaction into a future reason to return.

Why operators choose Rewards:

• In-the-moment engagement: Rewards are triggered immediately after payment, reinforcing positive behaviour when the guest is most receptive.

• Drive broader customer engagement: By enabling Rewards, you attract new guests who may have earned Rewards elsewhere and are looking for places to use them. You actively expand your reach, increase foot traffic, and turn every reward into a discovery tool for your brand.

• Branded and controlled by you: Custom names, reward values, rules, and conditions, fully managed on the Liven platform.

• Clear value for customers: Rewards are expressed in dollars, not points, making them tangible, desirable, and easy to understand.

• Seamlessly integrated: Automatically issued through your POS and payment flow with no manual input required.

Operator Playbook: When and How to Use Rewards and Brandollars

Scenario 1: New Venue Launch

Challenge: A new restaurant needs to build a customer base quickly.

Solution: Implement Rewards to tap into the existing network of Liven users. Customers who have earned rewards at other venues can discover and try your restaurant, accelerating your customer acquisition phase.

Scenario 2: Creating Viral Marketing Moments

Challenge: A restaurant wants to generate buzz and attract groups of diners.

Solution: Launch Brandollars with compelling offers like "Pay $50, Get $75 to spend." Customers naturally share these deals with friends and family, creating organic marketing moments. When someone can offer their dining group a 50% bonus, it becomes a social catalyst that fills tables.

Scenario 3: Seasonal Business

Challenge: A venue experiences seasonal fluctuations and needs to manage cash flow.

Solution: Promote Brandollars during peak seasons when customers are spending more. The prepaid model helps smooth cash flow during slower periods, while the bonus incentivises customers to return.

Scenario 4: Multi-Location Business

Challenge: A restaurant group wants to drive traffic across all locations.

Solution: Configure Brandollars to work across all your locations while using Rewards to attract customers from outside your brand family. This creates a two-tier loyalty system, maximising both internal and external customer flow.

Why They Work Better Together

Single-track loyalty programs can’t meet the demands of today’s diners or deliver the outcomes modern operators need.

With Liven, you combine real-time, branded Rewards that engage customers in the moment with Brandollars that secure future visits through prepaid incentives.

This dual-engine approach helps you:

• Capture more spend up front

• Drive repeat visits with tangible incentives

• Customise loyalty to your brand and business goals

• Automate everything

  
  

  You don’t have to choose between rewarding now and locking in tomorrow. With Liven, you do both on one platform!

Ready to implement the right loyalty currency for your venue? Contact our team to discuss how Rewards and Brandollars can be configured to meet your business objectives.