Three key words for loyalty marketing

Through a special arrangement, presented here for discussion is a summary of a current article from LoyaltyTruth.com, a blog published by Hanifin Loyalty.

At the beginning of each year, Hanifin Loyalty traditionally selects three words to define the course of loyalty marketing over the next 12 months. The three-word approach to focusing efforts and resources was inspired by social media blogger Chris Brogan.

In our experience, the three-word approach is an efficient form of goal-setting and generates better results over the course of the year than trying to live up to a set of New Year’s resolutions. There is substance behind each word and, even if you don’t entirely identify with the word itself, the supporting explanation of each one should provide thought provoking points to take back to your office.

Here’s a summary look at Hanifin Loyalty’s three words for 2015. The Hanifin Loyalty blog provides more detail on each word and a broader perspective on how the three link together.

Re-evaluate

To be successful, marketers need to firmly understand how the baseline of human behaviors is evolving and re-evaluate how we create strategies and campaigns that will have positive impact.

If we remember that all customers are human beings — no matter what they say while on the phone with your call center — then we must agree that seeking to understand trends in human behavior is critically important to being able to connect and develop dialogue with our customers.

Re-position

A viable substitute for re-position is shift. Brands cannot fool customers anymore. There is no amount of loyalty currency that will consistently entice consumers to buy your product online or frequent your stores if the experience interacting with your brand is sub-par.

Brands need to shift their thinking to invest first in their own employees and create a cooperative and reasonably happy culture that will foster supportive communications to customers.

Re-calculate

To realize the highest rate of success and return on invested marketing funds in 2015, brands should increase emphasis on program measurement. Think about what needs to change in order to re-calculate or measure the impact of your customer marketing efforts on a regular basis.

Now that you have a taste for how we see the road ahead, go here for a detailed examination of each word.

Above all, we believe 2015 holds much promise, and we share these three words as a means to help us prepare for the best that 2015 has in store for each of us.

BrainTrust

Discussion Questions

Which one of the words defining loyalty marketing’s path is most critical to watch this year? Would you substitute any?

Poll

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Richard J. George, Ph.D.
Richard J. George, Ph.D.
9 years ago

Of the three words offered I subscribe to the emphasis on re-calculate. If serving customers is designed to add value, marketers need to understand which strategies and tactics are most effective and efficient in achieving the customer satisfaction process. While these efforts are not often easily measured they need to be quantified as much as possible to insure the optimum uses of company resources.

I would not substitute any word but would add the word “reverse.” Customer loyalty is not about customers being loyal to a company. The “reverse” is true. Companies need to be loyal to their customers. How? By delivering on their promises constantly and consistently.

Max Goldberg
Max Goldberg
9 years ago

I like re-calculate, but would change its definition. To me it would stand for the need to make sure current loyalty programs are providing real value for customers. Too many programs are stale and provide no real value.

Gajendra Ratnavel
Gajendra Ratnavel
9 years ago

Unfortunately, most people get “re-position” but re-evaluate and re-calculate play an integral role. These go together. One without the other is like spinning your wheels without going anywhere. Just a waste of resources.

David Biernbaum
David Biernbaum
9 years ago

Re-evaluate, re-position and re-calculate are three very valid words for loyalty marketing. No re-considerations about that! But let me re-mind you too that every brand needs to re-think and re-view to make certain that any changes you make will not cause an all-too-often erroneous re-sult to make your brand loyalty re-gress. Consumers are a moving target, no doubt, but visible changes need to be subtle in the arena of consumer loyalty.

Ralph Jacobson
Ralph Jacobson
9 years ago

All three of these words remind me of an article that describes the lack of brand engagement in social channels. Retailers and CPG brands need to re-evaluate their social efforts to determine true ROI and the level of impressions they are truly making on their audience. Then the brands must re-position their campaigns to drive more than just loyalty, but real “brand enthusiasm.” Finally, organizations can then re-calculate their rate of return for their campaigns an eliminate most of the “gut feel” from their promotions.

Naomi K. Shapiro
Naomi K. Shapiro
9 years ago

Love and marriage.
Love and marriage.
Go together like a horse and carriage.
This I tell you brother …
you can’t have one without re-evaluation first!

Gene Detroyer
Gene Detroyer
9 years ago

Simple—the loyalty program will never make up for a less-than-adequate product offering.

Zel Bianco
Zel Bianco
9 years ago

Re-evaluate is really the key here. So many facets of retail are changing and sticking with what has worked in the past is no longer a viable business plan. Before any company re-calculates or re-positions (both certainly worth considering) they must first take a look at the business as a whole, their customers, and determine their road map for growing with the industry.

Mark Heckman
Mark Heckman
9 years ago

Loyalty marketing is a concept going through a major overhaul currently. Some would argue “loyalty” is not even a relevant goal any longer, giving way to varying levels of shopper engagement.

Nonetheless, I think one of the strongest points made by Mr. Hanifin is the notion that companies must first engender loyalty from their associates before they can expect those associates to become ambassadors of loyalty for the company.

Many take the short cut of ramming a new technology or loyalty scheme down the throats of their associates, expecting great results, when associates themselves are not onboard or engaged. That approach not only defies logic, but is often an expensive path towards failure.

Martin Mehalchin
Martin Mehalchin
9 years ago

It’s always important to take a balanced and comprehensive approach to topics that are as important as loyalty. So, I would suggest that brands need to focus on all three in order to stay ahead of the curve. We’re definitely seeing an emphasis on experiential loyalty strategies that move away from the traditional “earn and burn” models and we are also seeing clients think through how loyalty should interact with their mobile and social initiatives.

Ed Rosenbaum
Ed Rosenbaum
9 years ago

Put me in the re-calculate camp. I believe you have to continually look at what the drivers are and make sure your program is zeroed in on the important points. If not, the numbers will decrease as consumers move to where they can get value.