‘Ello and welcome back to The Loop! This month, we're celebrating the strong foundation you've built, and showing you how a little surprise can make your membership even better.
In this month’s edition →
- Why consistency + surprise is a winning combo
- Treat-filled ideas to try this month
- Spotlight On: Brodsky Orthodontics
- And anything else you may have missed
Surprise keeps the fun alive.
Surprises excite us all. It's that little thrill when your hotel room gets upgraded, or finding a forgotten $20 in your winter coat. Psychologists have found that we get used to good things fast, so what thrilled us the first time feels normal by the tenth. A fresh surprise breaks that pattern and brings the "wow" right back.
Here's the business case: surprise and delight is an investment, not an expense. In two real-world store experiments, shoppers who received a small, no-strings-attached gift as they walked in spent nearly 30% more than those who didn't, and that extra spending outpaced the cost of the gift. Best of all, the size of the gift barely mattered. What made the difference was that people felt genuinely appreciated.
And with your membership, you hold that power! Your Culturello platform is packed with ways to make someone's day when they least expect it. Bonus points landing on a random Tuesday just because, a personal note celebrating a member’s milestone, or a shoutout for the team member who stayed late to help. Even a fun survey or a hidden QR code can turn an ordinary visit into a little adventure.
All treats here! How to surprise and delight your members this month:
Make a big deal out of small holidays.
Every month is packed with fun, quirky holidays that make perfect excuses for a surprise point drop! October 10th is World Mental Health Day, a great time to check in on your team and give them a little pick-me-up. And October 29th is National Cat Day, so invite members to share a photo of their furry friend (in office or on social media!) for a few extra points. Schedule it all ahead of time with a Holiday Automation, and the surprise takes care of itself.
To set it up:
- Navigate to Settings > Automations and click Add+.
- Select Holiday Automation.
- Choose your date and set the number of bonus points members will receive.
- Customize the image and message to your members.
Learn how to set up a Holiday Automation
Surprise roll-call and employee check-in.
Keep your team checking in by dropping an unexpected Roll Call in the Connect Feed, and award bonus points to everyone who responds by a set time. Switch up the prompt each time, or grab a ready-made idea from the Connect Feed content library. Not using Culturello Employees yet? Here's one more reason to check it out!
To set it up:
- Navigate to Manage > Connect and create a post announcing your Surprise Roll Call and include a deadline to respond.
- Award bonus points to employees who participate before time is up.
- Use Bulk Actions from your Members page to award the points to everyone who qualifies at once.
Learn how to award points using Bulk Actions
Add a mystery with limited edition prizes.
Give your rewards menu some trick-or-treat energy! Add a limited-time "mystery prize" to your Hub, like seasonal swag, a local gift card, or a fun office perk, and keep what's inside a secret until someone redeems it. It gives members a fresh reason to check their points and come back to the Hub. Once it's claimed, share the big reveal on social media to build buzz for the next one!
To set it up:
- Navigate to Manage > Prizes
- Click Add In House Prize
- Fill out Prize details including name “Mystery Prize”, Points Worth, and Description.
- Save the Prize
- Alert your members about the limited edition Mystery prize via the Connect Feed (Culturello Employees) or via a Communication Post (Culturello Patients)
Client Spotlight: Brodsky Orthodontics
The team at Brodsky Orthodontics turned their rewards program into a force for good. To support their breast cancer awareness initiative, they launched a promotion inviting members to join the team for a 5K walk, donate their Hub points to the fundraiser, or both!
By adding a donation as an in-office prize in their Hub, Brodsky gave their members a meaningful way to put their points to work for a cause close to their community. We love to see it!
In case you missed it:
📝 New Blog Post The Patient Referral Gap in Dental and Orthodontic Practices
83% of happy patients would refer your practice. Only 29% actually do. Here’s why that gap exists… and how you close it! Learn more here.
🍬 Candy Buy Back
How to Use your Hub to Host a Candy Buy Back
Planning a post-Halloween candy buy back? Our guide walks you through setting it up and getting your members excited to trade in their treats. Learn more here.