Going the Distance: Four Ways to Build a Better Customer Loyalty Program for Your Brand

It’s easy enough for a customer to join your loyalty program, especially when you’re offering an incentive such as discounts. All your customer has to do is give out some basic information, and voila! They’re in the fold, a brand new loyalty member with your company. From there, it’s happily ever after. You offer the perks; they stand solidly by you, bringing you their continued business. Simple. Or is it? In reality, just how many of those customers are act ively participating in your loyalty program? Do you know? Sure, loyalty program memberships are on the rise according to market research company eMarketer, having jumped 25 percent in the space of just two years. However, that figure may be a bit misleading. The truth is that, while loyalty program sign-ups may be more numerous, active participation in such programs is actually in decline. At the time of the study, the average US household had memberships in 29 loyalty programs; yet consumers were only active in 12 of those. That’s just 41 percent. And even that meager figure represents a drop of 2 percentage points per year over each of the preceding four years, according to a study by loyalty-marketing research company COLLOQUY.

When discounts just aren’t enough

So what’s a brand to do? How can you make your loyalty program worth your customer’s while—as well as your own? After all, gaining a new loyalty member doesn’t mean much if your customer isn’t actively participating in your program. Consider this: Does your customer loyalty program offer members anything different from what your competitors are offering? Chances are your program includes discounts. That’s a given. And what customer doesn’t appreciate a good discount? But when every other company out there is providing this staple benefit in comparable amounts, it becomes less and less likely that customers will remain loyal to any one particular brand. Frankly, it’s all too easy for customers to get lost in a sea of loyalty member discounts. They’re everywhere. In fact, just under half of internet users perceive that all rewards programs are alike, according to a 2015 eMarketer survey. The key to success, then, is to differentiate your business from the crowd. If you can offer your customers something unique and valuable beyond the usual discount, chances are they’ll be more likely to stick with your brand. Here’s some inspiration from companies who get it.

Virgin: Reward more purchases with more benefits.

That’s not to say you need to get rid of discounts entirely. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Customers still love a good discount. The goal is to be creative in terms of the loyalty perks you offer. Take the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, for example. As part of its loyalty program, the airline allows members to earn miles and tier points. Members are inducted at the Club Red tier, from which they can move up to Club Silver and then Club Gold. Here, it’s not just a discount. It’s status. And people respond to feeling important, elite. Still, even where the rewards themselves are concerned, Virgin is motivating loyalty customers with some pretty attractive offers. At the Club Red tier, members earn flight miles and receive discounts on rental cars, airport parking, hotels and holiday flights. But as members rise in tiers, they get even more. At the Club Silver tier, members earn 50 percent more points on flights, access to expedited check-in, and priority standby seating. And once they reach the top, Club Gold members receive double miles, priority boarding and access to exclusive clubhouses where they can get a drink or a massage before their flight. Now that’s some serious incentive to keep coming back for more. Discounts are still part of the equation – but they are designed with innovation and personal value in mind, elevating them to more than just savings.

Amazon Prime: Pay upfront and become a VIP.

What if your customers only had to pay a one-time upfront fee to get a year’s worth of substantial benefits? It may not sound like the smartest business idea at first glance. But take a closer look. Amazon Prime users pay a nominal $99 a year to gain free, two-day shipping on millions of products with no minimum purchase. And that’s just one benefit of going Prime. It’s true that Amazon loses $1-2 billion a year on Prime. This comes as no surprise given the incredible value the program offers. But get this: Amazon makes up for its losses in markedly higher transaction frequency. Specifically, Prime members spend an average of $1,500 a year on Amazon.com, compared with $625 spent by non-Prime users, a ccording to a 2015 report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.

Patagonia: Cater to customer values.

Sometimes, the draw for consumers isn’t saving money or getting a great deal. The eco-friendly outdoor clothing company Patagonia figured this out back in 2011, when it partnered with eBay to launch its Common Threads Initiative: a program that allows customers to resell their used Patagonia clothing via the company’s website. Why is this program important to customers? And how does it benefit Patagonia? The company’s brand embraces environmental and social responsibility, so it was only fitting that they create a platform for essentially recycling old clothing rather than merely throwing it away. The Common Threads Initiative helps Patagonia build a memorable brand and fierce loyalty by offering its customers a cause that aligns with deep personal values. OK, so their customers get to make a little money, too. Everybody wins.

American Airlines: Gamify your loyalty program.

If you’re going to offer your customers a loyalty program, why not make it f un? After all, engagement is key to building a strong relationship with your customer. And what better way to achieve that goal than making a game of it. American Airlines had this very thing in mind when it created its AAdvantage Passport Challenge following its merger with USAirways. The goal: find a new way to engage customers as big changes were underway. Using a custom Facebook application, American Airlines created a virtual passport to increase brand awareness while offering members a chance to earn bonus points. Customers earned these rewards through a variety of game-like activities, from answering trivia questions to tracking travel through a personalized dashboard. In the end, participants earned more than 70 percent more stamps than expected – and the airline saw a ROI of more than 500 percent. The takeaway: people like games.

Stand out from the crowd.

Your approach to your customer loyalty program should align with your overall marketing approach. Effective branding is about standing out, not blending it. Being memorable is key. To this end, keep in mind that loyalty programs are no longer a novelty. That means that yesterday’s strategies won’t work moving forward, so look for ways to rise above the noise, setting yourself apart from the cloying drone of countless other cookie-cutter programs.

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Full Speed Ahead: Nine Creative Ways to Connect Using Hyperlapse Video

Cat lovers everywhere rejoice: Hyperlapse from Instagram is here! Now you, too, can create and share captivating high-speed videos of your cat’s most adorable tail-chasing sessions and other curious behaviors right from your smartphone.

Of course, the magic of Hyperlapse is not exclusive to crazy cat ladies. This powerful stand-alone app – currently available exclusively for iOS devices – puts high-tech built-in stabilization technology in the palm of your hand, allowing you to transform your shaky, amateur smartphone footage into an amazingly smooth finished product. Hyperlapse differs from traditional time-lapse in that the camera is also moving, opening endless possibilities for experimentation and creativity.

Within mere hours of the app’s release, brands of all sorts immediately began experimenting to see how they could pack the most meaningful marketing punch in a 15-second super-speed clip. Here are nine creative ways you can follow the lead of these early adopters to use Hyperlapse video to connect with your fans and followers:

1. Showcase your product.

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Time-lapse video is a unique way to show off your products or services. After all, are there any number of flowery words and descriptive passages that could match the allure of watching the waves roll in at the Trump Miami?

2. Sell the experience.

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There's good reason behind the familiar saying, “Show, don’t tell.” If you could give your customer the sensation of having a first-hand experience without having to put down their tablet or get up from their desk chair, wouldn’t you?

Mercedes-Benz created a Hyperlapse video that does just that, putting the viewer in the passenger’s seat on a closed-course test drive to let them feel how the car handles curves.

3. Create buzz.

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Hyperlapse is a great way to generate excitement among your fans about your latest product. Footlocker used the app to create an unboxing video of the new Kobe 9 “Bright Mango” before it was released to the public, giving just enough of a sneak peek to whet the appetite of any sneakerhead.

4. Convey authenticity.

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In today’s trust-driven marketplace, authenticity reigns supreme. And what better way to prove just how authentic your products are than by showing how they are meticulously crafted – sped up for the benefit of the viewer with a fleeting attention span, of course – as in this Hyperlapse clip from Mazama?

5. Appeal to the senses.

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Video is a visual medium (obviously), but when done right, it can engage all of the senses to create an overwhelming appeal. Just take this example of a Hyperlapse video from Budweiser that will make any viewer want to drop whatever they’re doing to grab a beer, prop up their feet and fight off the onslaught of pumpkin-spice everything to squeeze just a few last drops out of summer.

6. Pull back the curtain.

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Mike’s Hard Lemonade’s first foray into Hyperlapse came in the form of a video tour of their Chicago office, which was revealed to reflect the same sense of vibrant, in-your-face fun that the brand is known for.

Do the same for your fans: pull back the curtain and let them see that your brand values permeate your company’s culture through and through.

7. Get creative.

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Sometimes you don’t need high-flying cinematic acrobatics. Sometimes all you need is a simple concept with a clever spin that creates a memorable tie-in to your brand, like this Hyperlapse video from Naked Juice that shows people rushing by a person standing on the sidewalk sans clothing accompanied by the caption, “Don’t let life pass you by. Get Naked.”

8. Add a sense of fun to the mundane.

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For dog owners, a game of fetch is a commonplace daily activity. But Nature’s Recipe’s time-lapse video that literally captures the game from a dog’s-eye-view and conveys his unbridled enthusiasm is a fun, unexpected pick-me-up that’s almost too good not to share with friends.

How can you use Hyperlapse to create unique content that will surprise and delight your fans and get their sharing fingers clicking?

9. Co-create content with fans.

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As part of its #MiniDelivery promotion, Oreo is sharing videos from fans who received their special packages, such as this one from fan @ashleighmn that lets viewers share in the experience of unwrapping her delicious delivery.

You can likewise use Hyperlapse to get your fans to do your marketing for you by challenging them to create their own time-lapse videos showing how they enjoy using your product or how your products play a role in their day-to-day life.

When planning and shooting your Hyperlapse videos, here are a few factors to keep in mind to ensure a high-quality end result that has the desired effect on your viewers:

1. Story

Consider how your brand’s story fits into the element of time-lapse and how that can best be used creatively to promote your brand. Just because Hyperlapse exists doesn’t make it the best medium for every message.

2. Context

Where you share your Hyperlapse video will have an impact on how it’s viewed and received by viewers. Keep in mind the expectations of users on different platforms and how your video will fit with a given platform’s interface.

The technical limitations of different social media platforms are another element to consider. Regardless of camera orientation, Instagram forces square formatting on Hyperlapse videos and will crop the areas that don’t fit within their frame. Facebook currently accepts videos from Hyperlapse in landscape format.

3. Filmography

Although Hyperlapse is designed to allow the camera to move while shooting, videos actually turn out better when the camera is held steady and even better still when the camera is stationary. Lighting greatly affects the quality of the end result as well, as videos that are too dark or have fast variations in lighting are difficult to watch. Close-up shots, especially when multiple large objects enter the frame, render blurry unprofessional-looking results because the camera can’t process a quick change of focus.

4. Capacity

Remember, Hyperlapse makes your smartphone work hard. Shooting a lengthy video will use up a lot of memory and quickly drain the battery, and sometimes large videos won’t be able render completely unless other items are deleted from the phone to free up memory.

Happy Hyperlapsing!

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Rediscover the Lost Art of Focus

Does this sound like a typical occurrence in your day? You've just wrapped up one task, and before you move on to the next, you decide to take a quick break to see what's new on Facebook. Hey, look – your friend posted a link to an article in the New York Times. You click through to read, and when you're done, one of the related articles catches your eye. That one leads to another and then another. When you finally reemerge from the rabbit hole of link-clicking, you realize that half an hour has evaporated. Or perhaps your e-mail notification alert chimes, and you click over to find a reminder that your car is due for service. While you’re waiting on hold with the dealership to schedule your appointment, it occurs to you that you haven't checked the balance in your bank account lately, so you log in, and then you remember that you also need to pay your water bill. Before you know it, what began as a simple two-minute task has become a 20-minute derailment.

The cost of disruption

But a few distractions during the day are harmless and practically unavoidable, right? Not so much. All those minutes wasted here and there turn into hours that come with a high price tag if you're your own boss. When you're an entrepreneur, your time is your most valuable asset. When you're an entrepreneur, your time is your most valuable asset, and one of your most important responsibilities is being a good steward of that asset. Every minute frittered away on Facebook, YouTube, blogs and even mundane chores is a minute you're not spending innovating, selling or shipping. In reality, no matter how dedicated you are to your business or how deep your passion runs for what you do, staying focused can be a challenge. Between phone calls, e-mail, social media sites and routine daily to-dos, your attention is constantly being pulled in many directions at once. However, it is possible to quiet your mind and rein in the distractions, but to do so, you must recondition your brain. If you're serious about increasing your productivity, you must commit to a structured regimen of daily practice in regaining your focus, just as you would if you were training to improve your speed and endurance in running or cycling.

The Pomodoro Technique

One of the best methods for cultivating your powers of concentration is the Pomodoro Technique. In a nutshell, this technique is a time management tool that breaks the working day into units of 25 minutes called "Pomodoros." Use the clock as a time cop and obey it relentlessly. To get started, all you need is a timer, a notebook and a pen. When your day begins, make a list of all the tasks you must accomplish in order of priority. Set the timer for 25 minutes, and start working on the task at the top of the list. Focus on this task and only this task until the timer chimes. When the timer goes off, mark an x next to that task on your list and give yourself a short break of no more than three to five minutes. The purpose of this break is to let your mind rest and disconnect, so don't keep thinking about what you were just working on, and don't get wrapped up in responding to e-mail or returning a call from a client. Instead, relax, get up and stretch, read an article on your favorite blog or take care of one item on your personal to-do list. After every four Pomodoros, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. Then simply repeat this cycle until your workday is done. The key to success in implementing the Pomodoro Technique is to use the clock as a time cop and obey it relentlessly. Be sure to set the timer for breaks, too, so that you're not tempted to extend them beyond the allotted time. However, always keep in mind that breaks are equally important as the 25-minute Pomodoros, so don't work through them in your eagerness to finish your task, either. The breaks are there for a reason – to allow you just enough of a mental refresher to keep you razor-sharp without getting sucked into a vortex of distraction.

Put time back on your side

As you adapt to this new daily rhythm, you'll be amazed how quickly the clock ceases to be your enemy and becomes your ally. You'll also realize how many times throughout the day you habitually allow yourself to be interrupted by distractions like Facebook and Twitter just because they're there. Reclaiming lost time in your day is critical to getting the most out of your business growth efforts.With practice, it will be easy to tune anything and everything out for 25 minutes. Knowing there is a break ahead is a great source of motivation. When you're tempted to check e-mail or see who's on IM, look at the clock first, and make yourself stick it out, knowing you never have more than 25 minutes until the next break. The Pomodoro Technique is much more than just an exercise in self-discipline; it's also an invaluable resource to help you take control of your time and boost your productivity. Because you keep a running daily log of how many Pomodoros it takes to accomplish each task, you will develop a very clear picture of how long each activity takes, which will help you estimate and prioritize projects more effectively so that you don't find yourself racing to meet deadlines. You can also identify tasks that are absorbing a disproportionate amount of your time and develop more efficient ways of getting them done. Reclaiming lost time in your day is critical to getting the most out of your business growth efforts. When your focused work time is more productive and your downtime is kept in check, you'll be amazed at how much you can accomplish when you quite literally put your mind to it.

Further reading

To learn more about the Pomodoro Technique, download the free instructional e-book at  www.pomodorotechnique.com.

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