MediaLift

  By: Ray Chelstowski / Hilton Barbour  If we’re being honest with ourselves, as a species we get bored real real easy.   What was last month’s Bright Shiny Object is more likely to get a “meh” reaction today than that same breathless excitement it once did. We can blame social media, the deluge of always-on content, our reduced attention span but the simple truth is after we’ve interacted with something for a period, the bloom comes off the rose and it quickly becomes a commodity.   Confession – when I first subscribed to Netflix the notion of unlimited content, no advertising and a recommendation engine that would serve up great movies based on what I’d watched previously, blew my mind. 5+ years later that stuff is still impressive but I’m not clocking 10-hour weekend binges on the platform as I once did. What does this have to do with loyalty and loyalty programs? Well statistics show that up to 50% of members in a loyalty program are inactive. Theses are ...

  By: Ray Chelstowski / Hilton Barbour You could be forgiven for thinking this was an early version of a classic Rolling Stones track. Actually, it’s the title of a famous book by Jeffrey Gitomer. In it he he argues that even if a company had a 97% satisfaction rating there remained another 3% who were “free agents”. They might be currently happy with your product, but they are continuously on the lookout for even better alternatives. While 100% customer satisfaction might be unlikely – particularly with the millions of new products launched almost daily - there is little doubt that a well-constructed and well-executed loyalty program is one way that you can keep your satisfied customers close. And keep a close eye on those that look set to leave. Customization and personalization are the key. Mapping a personalized customer journey – through the entire life stage of their relationship with you – is a delicate blend of creativity and hard data.  It requires knowin...

By: Ray Chelstowski / Hilton Barbour Certain phrases are so perfect in their composition and their message that they are often attributed to people because “that’s exactly what they’d say”. Hope is not a strategy is one of those phrases.   It’s been attributed to Vince Lombardi because, well…that’s exactly what he’d say about football.   Also, to former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani as part of his convention speech in 2008. The truth is the origins of the phrase are murky, but its message is crystal clear. You can’t “hope” that your strategy will work.   You can’t “hope” your loyalty program will meet your key business objectives. You can’t “hope” that consumers will flock to join, stay, and grow with your program. Particularly, not in the current environment where organizations are launching loyalty programs with renewed vigor and consumers, buffeted by increasing inflationary pressures, are seeking some reprieve at the pump, at the mall and at the checkou...

  By Ray Chelstowski / Hilton Barbour Astute businesses recognize that there is no silver bullet approach to attracting, and retaining, customers. You need to constantly test, experiment, refine and optimize your approach to find the perfect mix that works for your organization. In addition to brand building advertising, few things can build credibility – and desirability – for your business than customer endorsements and word-of-mouth. We’re not talking about influencer marketing here, which savvy consumers can typically see right through, but the persuasive power of a story or anecdote from a satisfied customer. A story from Joe or Jane Public on Yelp or TripAdvisor can be worth its weight in gold. And a well-run and well-executed loyalty program should be providing a wealth of opportunities for exactly those types of stories. New research from Penn State's School of Hospitality Management proves just that. The study has found that companies like airlines and hotels can...

By: Ray Chelstowski / Hilton Barbour If you really want to get into an animated conversation with your spouse or your best friend, ask them about the price of gas right now. Or if you’re feeling particularly rambunctious, ask them about the cost of a loaf of bread, a carton of milk or a case of beer.   In just a week gas increased by almost 8% here in Canada. In parts of the US that rise was 1.2% from last week…but 40% from this time last year.* With a conflict raging in Eastern Europe, Covid still running its course in several countries and a global supply-chain that’s as fragile as a pile of Jenga, no-one is surprised that the ugly specter of inflation has risen its head once more.   According to the Ziff Media Group Q1 2022 Trends Survey (performed Jan. 20-21, 2022; N = 1,036), 72% of American consumers say they are more concerned than usual about inflation. The survey also found that: -         54% of consumers believe it is harde...