Exclusive: Building a VIP Program – A Comprehensive Guide for iGaming Operators 

As the iGaming industry becomes even more saturated and the fight over shrinking player acquisition pools heightens, searching for prized VIPs and growing the segment becomes evermore challenging. Innovative, creative, and modern methods are becoming a necessity to survive and grow VIP programs while fending off the competition. The good old days are gone, and VIP as a concept and practice must evolve to remain enticing, engaging, and competitive.

Retaining VIP players is essential to success. Enter the VIP program. A strategic initiative designed to not only enhance player loyalty, but also, drive significant revenue for operators. 

Constructing a VIP program today no longer means a simple tiered structure and throwing bonuses at players, expecting them to increase gameplay or remain loyal. VIPs expect so much more, and the standard of VIP programs needs to address this “want” factor and, in some cases, go above and beyond player expectations.

Today’s article will highlight and outline actionable steps every operator should consider when building a VIP program. Tailored specifically for iGaming operators, the following guide illustrates the essentials to elevating player experiences and maximising loyalty while building a sustainable and profitable VIP environment and operation.

Step 1: Research and Analysis 

Before undertaking the task of building your VIP program, extensive data analysis is critical. By segmenting your data into specific categories like player demographics, spending habits, game preferences, and historical behaviour, operators gain invaluable insights into their target audience that will inform and drive strategic and operational direction.

This transcends basic research. A deep understanding of both VIP financial indicators and player behavioural attributes is crucial to building a dynamic VIP program rather than following an outdated and slowing-dying linear program.

There is a shift in VIP program design and development taking place as we speak, where VIP professionals and experts are supporting technology and innovation to change the way VIP exists today and in the not-too-distant future. Don’t get left behind.

Step 2: Define VIP Segments and Benefits 

Armed with a comprehensive understanding of your player base, operators must meticulously design distinguishable VIP segments based on relevant metrics like deposit amounts, wagering activity, and game engagement. Each segment can be defined both on an internal value segment and an external customer-facing level. It must be borne in mind that VIP is designed internally through structure and presented outwardly in a simple way to avoid information overload amongst your players. What your players see on your website or in communications is the tip of the iceberg.

As you segment your players internally, plan ahead and determine how each segment unlocks progressively more valuable and desirable services or rewards that cater to the specific needs and preferences of each segment. The keyword here is exclusivity. The higher the tier, the more unique and valuable rewards should be. iGaming VIP

Some examples of valued services and rewards include: 

• Exclusive bonus offers with higher percentages, lower playthrough requirements, or access to unique bonus types. 
• Fast-track withdrawal processing for quicker access to winnings. 
• Dedicated Account Managers for personalised and elevated service and support. 
• Invitations to exclusive events like VIP tournaments, freerolls, or luxury getaways. 
• Early access to new games and features for a premium player experience. 
• Personalised birthday and anniversary bonuses to foster a sense of connection and care.

Step 3: Creating a VIP Brand 

When strategizing about your VIP brand and how to position your VIP program, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. VIP brands can take many forms: public, private, exclusive, tiered, invite-only, transparent, and more. iGaming VIP

Furthermore, building a people-centric approach to support your VIP program ultimately connects your VIP Team to your VIP players. While data may be what leads our actions, executing the right approach at the right time is what will determine the success of your VIP program.

Finding what fits best for your brand and VIP Team goes beyond a balancing act, and execution needs to be flawless. A mistimed or rushed launch of a VIP program can result in many disastrous outcomes, including having to redo or relaunch a VIP program. This presents the brand as disorganised and miscalculated and consequently erodes your players’ trust.

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The worst-case scenario that can occur as a result of rushing or cutting corners when launching a VIP program is pushing your VIP players away by not understanding their needs and preferences or not knowing how to present your brand as VIP-centric.

Step 4: Train and Invest in Your VIP Team 

Data analysis, planning, and design aside, a VIP program requires a team of competent professionals to manage VIP players and the program itself. iGaming VIP

Building the right team to manage your most valuable players, together with your continuously evolving VIP strategy, is one of the most essential parts of running a successful VIP program.

Ongoing training and workshops, while investing time and effort in keeping your team up-to-date and informed, help to achieve the goal of having skilled and capable VIP professionals at all levels managing and executing all aspects of your VIP strategy.

VIP experts and professionals need to live, breathe, and speak VIP, and this can easily be trained if the fundamentals are understood. 

Never forget, that VIP is an ideology as much as it is a practice.

Step 5: Personalisation and Customisation 

In today’s VIP world, personalisation is no longer an option but a prerequisite. Like all areas of VIP programs, leveraging advanced data analytics and data strategy has led to the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) helping to tailor rewards and promotions based on individual player preferences and activity.

These tailored rewards and strategies include: 

• Recommending games based on previous gameplay and interests. 
• Offering personalised bonus deals based on preferred game types and betting behaviour: At the highest level of VIP, this focus is driven by Account Managers. 
• Providing targeted communication based on player demographics, marketing preferences, and responses to historic campaigns. iGaming VIP

Step 6: Communication and Engagement 

Effective communication and engagement are the cornerstones of a successful VIP program. Programs today are expected to offer VIPs a multi-channel approach. A multi-channel approach enables VIP programs to engage their segments through targeted emails, SMS notifications, and in-game messaging to inform players about exclusive offers, upcoming events, and program updates.

It is crucial to remember that communication is far more than simply sending messages. It is about developing a vibrant VIP community that buys into a VIP ideology and identity as an extension of the operator’s brand. Achieving this will solidify loyalty, encourage active participation, and deeply support operators’ efforts to make their players feel a sense of belonging and value.

Operators must ensure that their VIP Team and Account Managers understand how to engage with their players and personalise their communications to echo the VIP brand and tone of voice to avoid inconsistencies in the VIP player journey.

Step 7: Continuous Monitoring and Refinement 

Building a successful VIP program is an ongoing process. The work doesn’t stop once a VIP program launches. The work begins once it becomes public knowledge that your brand offers a VIP program.

Implementing robust tracking and reporting mechanisms to monitor key metrics is essential to benchmark targets and establish KPIs for operational and business units to succeed while working towards achieving business objectives and overall program success.

These tracking and reporting mechanisms are broad and can be expanded based on the capabilities of available technology to generate reports focused on: 

• VIP Growth 
• Conversion 
• Referrals 
• VIP Retention 
• Engagement Levels 
• VIP Program Profitability 
• VIP Program Health

Operators need to regularly analyse data and gather player feedback through surveys, polls, and Account Manager-driven campaigns to identify areas for advancement and refinement. To remain competitive, operators must be data-driven and adaptable. iGaming VIP

VIP program structures, rewards, and communication strategies are always capable of adaptation. These can be adjusted based on the insights gathered from VIP players, player behavioural changes, and value indicator data when monitoring your VIP player segments.

This continuous optimisation ensures that your VIP program remains relevant and effective while staying competitive. Copy-and-paste and templated VIP models minimise the appeal of the overall VIP brand. Therefore, delivering a superior player experience becomes paramount as the modern VIP landscape forces operators to showcase their Unique Selling Points (USPs).