Archive for the ‘loyalty marketing’ Tag
Lately I feel like a broken record. I’ve been talking to so many of my clients and friends about an epiphany that seems so obvious and mundane it’s almost embarrassing to share. I stress the almost because if it was that obvious, we’d all be doing it.
My new found mantra? How can I expect different results if I keep doing the same thing?
The simple truth is that to get different, and by implication, better results, we need to do something different. We need to embrace change, mix it up, step outside our comfort box.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how this applies to marketing, both for Eagle and for my clients. Whether you are using traditional marketing like direct mail and print ads or technologies like mobile, social media and email marketing, we all can get a little stale. And, like the vinyl records of old, we wear a groove so deep, it’s hard to skip a beat and change it up. The comfort we feel by the familiar and the resistance we encounter around change, the more we can be assured our results will always be the same.
Take your company’s brand for example. If you’re a business owner, you know your brand can and should be intricately linked to your core values and a reflection of your professional passion. And yet, that’s not always the case. Sometimes we get on autopilot, forget to check in and to reevaluate and reassess. We get head down and caught in the trees, so it’s hard to see the forest.
Our team at Eagle is passionate about helping our clients to see that forest. We advocate for change, not always a revolutionary but almost always evolutionary, in thinking, approach and execution.
For example, how might we integrate their marketing tools with technology so campaigns are more interactive, engaging and memorable? How do we leverage loyalty marketing and referral programs to reward current customers in creative and meaningful ways? How might we refresh and organize a website so user benefit is more front and center and how can that site be better optimized for higher search ranking? And always – ensure that the message is consistent, compelling, concise and in support of those core values and passion where it all started.
Even for a professional marketing agency, this can be a challenge. We at Eagle have been asking ourselves some tough questions and reconnecting with what is our collective passion, what are our core competencies, and what makes us unique. On some topics, there is instant clarity. On others, we get caught in those darn trees.
So we are sharpening our proverbial saw and looking critically at what needs a refresh.
I’ll share a few items on our list and challenge you to reflect on a list of your own.
- How can we use social media more effectively to promote our services?
- How do we evolve our brand to better reflect what we do so well?
- What clients haven’t we approached lately for testimonials?
- How do we market ROI and value added to customers on a regular basis?
- Where are the best opportunities for continuous learning in emerging technologies?
Maybe some on our list resonated with you. If not, maybe they should.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”
So reflect for a moment back to that old, worn groove in the vinyl record. What are the results you seek? Is it ROI, increased sphere of influence, brand awareness, customer base, or traffic on the web? What is it that you haven’t done? And what are you willing to do to get different results?
I think you’ll agree we could all sing a new tune now and again.
How have you made a change, even a small one, that made a big difference in your business? We look forward to your comments.
How do you get customers to become loyalists when they’re barraged with marketing messages from companies vying for their attention? We could list the many “how to’s” but here’s the bottom line — you have to Be Remarkable. Recently I was on the receiving end of “remarkable” from the most unlikely of sources.
Story #1:
Heard any stories lately about phone companies and their amazing customer service that goes the extra mile? More than likely, your answer is a big NO! Phone companies aren’t known for exceeding expectations; they’re more often the source of frustration and gripes for lousy service.
Imagine then my surprise and delight when I received a handwritten note card from a Sprint employee thanking me for my business and offering a 25% discount on my next in-store purchase. Seems Sprint has decided my loyalty is appreciated. And I appreciate them taking the time to tell me so. It seemed so, well, personal.
What happens when you feel appreciated? For starters, you feel good. And you feel good about your decision to use this company, their product or service. You feel more emotionally connected to them and their brand and you become more passionate and engaged. And chances are, you will tell your friends, family, and colleagues. So by exceeding your expectations and showing appreciating, this company has turned you the customer into a fan who will tell others this remarkable story.
Story #2:
Here’s a story about another type company you’re unlikely to get excited about – an auto body shop. I became a fan recently of Caliber Collision Centers when they surprised me with their excellent customer service. I dropped my car off some for repairs recently. The staff was so attentive and caring I was taken aback. They asked about the accident (not our fault), empathized over the inconvenience and offered me copious amounts of coffee and water. The service agent followed through on his promise to call every Tuesday and Thursday with an update. And the repairs took 3 days less than anticipated. In short, they exceeded my expectations and generated a level of loyalty in me I didn’t know possible.
When I complimented the office manager on their great service, she told me she tries to treat customers the way she’d like to be treated.
I hope I don’t get in another accident soon but if I do, I know where I’m headed.
How are you working to be remarkable and remembered? We’d love to hear your story.
There’s been a rush to exit for Netflix customers. The company lost 800,000 customers in 3rd quarter this year, the first time ever its customer base shrank instead of grew. The reason for the slump is simple. They chose to ignore the KISS rule – Keep It Simple Stupid – by first raising prices and then splitting its business into 2 companies. Customers who used both DVD and streaming services would need to manage two accounts at two different websites.
Why would a well defined brand with loyalists galore make it more difficult for customers to use their product? Some days I can barely remember my own name let alone one more online account. Smart loyalty marketers focus on me and how to make my life simpler, easier, better. Anything else is just a complication I don’t need.
So the Netflix got the backlash it deserved. Twitter and Facebook went a buzz and the stock took a dive. And Netflix got the message loud and clear. Qwikster, the newly formed company, quickly went away. CEO Reed Hastings, to his credit, sent an email in August to customers apologizing for moving too quickly. You got to give the guy some credit for admitting he screwed up.
“There is a difference,” he said, “between moving quickly – which Netflix has done very well for years – and moving too fast…” As my 7 year old would say, “Duh!”
Anytime you ask me to do more to access the same services I’ve known, and possibly loved, you’ve lost my loyalty and potentially a customer. What shocks me is Netflix had such a strongly defined brand of super servicing the customer and then came greed and inconvenience. And there went loads of customers flocking to the door. What were they thinking? Clearly not about loyalty.
Mobile messaging or text/SMS campaigns are a quick way to engage with the largest number of mobile users. Over 90% of mobile devices in the US have the ability to send/receive text messages[i] and pretty much anyone under the age of 44 is texting more than calling[ii]. Even the majority of smartphone owners prefer to receive basic coupons, deals and newsletters.[iii] Seems like the ideal way to reach the largest number of consumers, right? Right! But, before you get started make sure you know the rules.
1. Participation in a mobile messaging or SMS/Text campaign must be 100% opt-in. As a marketer you can’t purchase a mobile database or spam existing customers’ mobile phones with your message. You must use traditional media to engage and inform them about your campaign and entice them to opt-in. This is not only a Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) best practice. It is the law (CAN SPAM Act and FTC Act).
The United States Federal Trade Commission is prosecuting those that don’t comply with the CAN SPAM Act. A recent egregious case involves a marketer who, in one 40-day period, sent more than 5.5 million spam text messages, a “mind boggling” rate of about 85 per minute, every minute of every day.
This is an extreme example, but there are countless cases of legitimate marketers that aren’t complying because they aren’t aware of the laws or misinterpret them. So, simply put – marketers must use traditional media (print/web/TV/radio/outdoor) to inform consumers about a text campaign. Consumers can only participate by actively texting the correct keyword/short code from their mobile phone or a web interface promoting the campaign.
2. Not all mobile users have unlimited text plans: If you send unsolicited messages to consumers they may be paying for them. It is important that the consumer has the control of who they engage with via mobile. Creating compelling mobile campaigns that offer value to the end user will drive them to engage with your brand.
Eagle Marketing can help you determine the right way to build a loyal connection with your mobile audience. For many, connecting with mobile users via simple text is a great way to extend your brand. There are various campaign types and you can include click to call or a mobile web address to extend your engagement. We’ll continue to blog on mobile messaging best practices. Have question or thought on the topic? We’d love to hear from you.
[i] CTIA – The Wireless Association 11/10
[iii] Harris Interactive 2/11
My twin daughters turned 4 last month so we celebrated with a princess party and a small group of their preschool buddies. In passing I mentioned to a friend I was writing thank you notes for the gifts they received. Her response? “What, are you nuts? Who does that?” She thought it wasn’t necessary because the kids couldn’t read and probably had no clue what gift they gave.
My friend may be right but I sent the notes anyway. It so happens I’m a big believer in thank you’s, in acknowledging gifts and sometimes sending them for no reason. I once sent a big box of cookies to a long-time client who left us, briefly, to work with a competitor. I wanted to thank him for his business and show appreciation of our long relationship.
This time of year has me thinking a lot about appreciation…and gratitude. Gratitude for my health, my family, my circle of wonderful friends. Gratitude also for the talented people I work with and those I work for — my clients. Without them, I wouldn’t be doing the work I enjoy so much. Gratitude reminds me…and I thought worthy of reminding you… to press pause now and again to simply say thanks. A sincere thanks, without expectation, strings attached, or hope for response. Really, can you ever say thank you enough? I don’t think so.
The owner of a neighborhood wine bar recently told me she delivers a cork tied to “free drink” coupons to hotel managers who send her business. A thank you that’s both clever and memorable. I send a box of diabetes-inducing toffee. Not so clever but definitely delicious and hopefully memorable.
I’d like to know — what do you do to say thank you and to show your appreciation? To your loved ones, to your customers, to your loyalists? From a marketing perspective, it’s just smart business. Invest in a gratitude mentality – with sincerity — and you’ll easily stand out in the crowd.
Last week we talked about An Inconvenient Truth of marketing, Know Thyself – who you are and what you stand for. This week — a Timeless Truth that has nothing to do with the coolest new marketing idea. And everything to do with getting back to basics.
I had one of those “Aha moments” a few weeks ago when I attended a social media seminar at the swanky offices of a digital agency with high end décor and an incredibly breathtaking view of the ballpark. I went to learn new ways to engage consumers with the latest digital tools and techniques. During that hour, experts talked about ROI, social CRM and on-line clout. What stuck me most though was their common theme — an ageless fundamental.
To be successful, companies need to create connections. Build trust. And engage the customer to inspire their loyalty. You do this by listening and learning. Fostering two way conversations that matter. The tools – be they social media, direct mail, email marketing, mobile — are relevant only in that they allow that process to take place and that they best fit your target market.
Think for a moment about how your organization cultivates loyalty and generates business. Are you focused on telling and selling or are you in a meaningful dialogue that resonates with your customers? This requires asking their opinion, understanding their needs and making adjustments along the way. It also requires vision, commitment and work.
As a consumer, I don’t just want to have it my way at Burger King; I want to have it my way wherever and whenever possible. Not because I’m some high maintenance prima donna (and so what if I am?). But because I’m a busy working mom of three and if you know me and take care of me, I will love you for life.
One of the companies I love is Amazon. And not just because I love buying books. The last time I logged onto Amazon.com, I got a pop up of recommendations based on recent purchases or searches. Gee, thanks guys for knowing what I like and serving it up. Even if it is computer generated, you are saving for me that most precious of commodities – time. Bless you.
So when you think of loyalty marketing, think of this Timeless Truth that relationships do matter and that consumers will care more if we stick to the basics.
I read a quote recently by Irish critic, journalist and novelist Rebecca West that I think sums it all up:
“There was a definite process by which one made people into friends, and it involved talking to them and listening to them for hours at a time.”
Rebecca West
Irish critic, journalist, & novelist (1892 – 1983)
Two of my favorite childhood memories revolve around one of my favorite things – food. The ice cream kind of food.
One memory is of the Good Humor truck making its way slowly through the neighborhood with that every present “come hither” music that got us kids dashing out the door.
The other is of the coupon I received each September from Baskin Robbins in honor of my birthday. It wasn’t that my parents couldn’t afford the free cone they offered. That sweet memory is more about the anticipation I felt as September rolled around and the delight I took in planning and picking which of those 31 flavors would be mine. I truly savored the experience.
Fast forward lots of years to 2010 and another September birthday. The ice cream cone is now a free drink at Starbucks (I picked a grande-skinny-decaf-vanilla latte, if you must know) and a 20% discount at my favorite kitchen store…both in honor of my birthday.
I’m amazed at the little thrill I still get over these little perks. I truly LOVE ‘em because they make me feel special and indulged. As a marketer, I am struck by how we can so simply create connection, loyalty and even lifelong memories by merely remembering someone on their birthday.
Take for example Eagle Marketing’s online loyalty club at Tampa’s cable news outlet, Bay News 9. Members receive an email with a video birthday wish from their favorite news anchor. So simple, right? In one year, the Bay News 9 Club has grown to over 16,000 viewers who want to engage, give feedback, enter contests and get rewarded. Email open rates are typically around 20%, an outstanding response in any industry (Check out the full case study).
Something here clearly resonates. I think the common thread lies in the “we care” approach. As in: We hear and we listen, we respond, we remember. The “we care” that is at the core of any meaningful, authentic relationship. All so simple and yet so easily overlooked.
So think about the emails you receive, the businesses you frequent, the member cards you carry in your wallet. What is it about them that makes you feel special, connected and rewarded? Reply and let us know what is the loyalty experience YOU most savor.
Last week’s blog focused on Permission Marketing: reaching people who believe that what you have to offer matters. Mobile Marketing is designed around this premise, creating a personal connection with a prospect or customer by engaging with them on their mobile phone. Today, 25% of Americans participate in at least one SMS marketing program each month. But, how do you get them to start and continue believing in your campaign?
Here are a few ways top brands have succeeded and failed:
ESPN: I think few do it better than ESPN and their “Best Screen Ava
ilable” approach. The broadcasters clearly understand that their viewers have different needs when they’re watching a big screen or checking their mobile phone. They allow mobile subscribers to segment by sport, teams and other categories so they only get relevant alerts. They save the full play-by-play for Sport Center and deliver real-time scores and highlight to their mobile users. With more than 63 million mobile alerts being sent each month, they understand their responsibility is to get subscribers the relevant information exactly when they want it in a format that is accessible.
ESPN Mobile also designs their mobile marketing campaigns to be agile. They keep tabs on what’s a buzz on social media and infuses this knowledge into campaigns in a similar way you’d react producing a live TV show. Keeping mobile subscribers in the know is the best way to gain loyalty.
Coca-Cola: Coke Rewards is a customer loyalty program where members collect unique codes off Coke products and redeem them for prizes. They have more than a million subscribers and an acquisition rate of around 10% per month. What’s their secret? Encouraging subscribers to pull content of interest to their phones rather than Coke pushing out general alerts and coupons. They develop targeted campaigns where the subscribers decide what they want to receive. They stay focused on offering fresh, interesting contest and prizes that keep users engaged.
Kodak: Kodak learned the hard way that it is critical that you understand how, where and for what purpose your target audience is using mobile. They launched a mobile campaign in movie theaters thinking they had a captive audience, but failed to realize that most people turn off their phones when they get in a theater. The campaign bombed.
These lessons are as applicable to local broadcasters and small and medium brands looking to launch a campaign as they are to those with multi-million dollar budgets. Mobile campaigns, done well, can be an extremely cost effective solution to building real brand loyalty. Have you integrated it into your marketing plan? If yes, how’s it working? If not, is it time to consider it?
Remember the first time you fell in love? Not some second grade crush over the new kid in class. Really deeply passionately in love? Maybe your romance started with a chance encounter or an online chat. Or maybe, like me and my husband, with a blind date. From that first lunch 12 years ago grew the seeds of familiarity, comfort, trust and lasting love. And like any strong relationship, it took time, consistency, and a desire to learn more.
Falling in love is a process that’s cultivated in small steps over time. In many ways, you want your customers to have that very same experience. You want their love and loyalty. You want their trust and devotion. And of course, you want their business.
It all starts with getting familiar – with your customers’ needs, their wants, their particular (or peculiar) tastes. Like with any lasting relationship, you need to keep in touch. And keep up to date. And keep it real and consistent.
One major hotel chain puts this into practice in a simple, automated, yet memorable way. Last year, when my family and I made our annual trek to Disneyland, we booked a room at their Anaheim hotel. The week before our trip, I received a personalized email from the manager anticipating our arrival and asking how he and his staff might super serve our needs. I received a second personalized email following our stay thanking us for selecting the hotel and asking for feedback. Even though I knew these emails were auto-generated, I still got a warm and fuzzy from the nice touch. And my next trip is already mentally booked.
So, whether you’re speaking to your customers through email marketing, direct mail, text messaging or social media, make an emotional connection that’s authentic and meaningful. Be familiar with who they are and what they want. And remind them (like my husband does now and again) that they’ve made a smart choice in picking your company or your product or your people. I think you’ll find that familiarity really does breed trust. And trust is the beginning of every great relationship.
I have a confession to make. I love Diet Coke. Not in a can, not in a bottle. A fountain Diet Coke. With chunks of ice. And one of my daily rituals is going through McDonald’s drive thru to get one. Sometimes, it’s even the highlight of my day. Know why? Besides the midday infusion of cold caffeine, the woman at the drive thru window knows my name. And the names of my kids (really, what’s the harm in a little Happy Meal now and then?). We laugh about my daily dose. She smiles, I smile back. It’s a good day. So now, not only am I addicted to my fountain Diet Coke, I’m addicted to that warm feeling I get when someone has taken the time to say my name, know what I like and reward me in a small but special way. It creates true loyalty, plain and simple.
So maybe you’re not passionate about Diet Coke. But hopefully you’re passionate about the work you do and about engaging your customers so they become your friends, your fans, your loyalists. Like the woman in the window, do you take the time to know your customers’ needs, their preferences, and what makes them tick? Why not ramp it up and make it a two way conversation? Why not tell them “We hear you” and give ‘em what they want? Who knows, maybe they, too, will become addicted.
Already sowing the seeds of loyalty? Join the conversation and tell us how.
Amy Blum
Dee Dern
Don Wells
Kristen Panebianco
Barb Chandler
