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Your organization has come to the conclusion that a brand loyalty program would provide a marketable differentiator and strategic advantage for your business and now it’s up to you to make it happen.

The first steps are to assess your in-house capabilities, determine the operating model you would like to move forward with and how figure out how much expertise you need to hire on. You definitely don't want to start from scratch!

What makes us remember a moment in time, a brand we encountered, a person we met? Well, I bet it’s not the calendar, or seeing a logo, or even someone’s name (ugh, maybe that’s just me!); it’s because you experienced something in that moment, with that brand, or with that person that sticks in your mind and you recall it again and again. And I bet you tell people about it—billions of people on social media confirm I’m not the only one!

Perhaps not the ones you were thinking of, rather it’s the likes you acknowledge every moment of the day: the car you eyed on the way to work, the way your barista translated your request into the perfect coffee, the phone in your hand as you glance away from this post or maybe it’s the sign on the building that reminds you why you come to work each day. The reality is that likes are a core part of what we do every day and what we like has a huge impact where we invest our time, energy and money.

Let’s begin with a difficult truth; it is increasingly difficult to differentiate yourself in the marketplace by product alone.  Chances are, if you have a product that someone else makes just as well, a consumer could choose your product or your competitor’s and not make a bad decision either way.

You’ve designed a brand-aligned and customer relevant loyalty program. You’re excited about how the program will help you acquire, retain and engage customers in a long-term relationship. Now what? It’s time to turn your strategy into reality. How do you ensure that you’re successful? What important goals do you need to set? Who needs to be involved? After 15 years of successfully implementing and operating loyalty programs, I continue to rely on these 7 success factors.

Finally proof that the LIVE BRAND EXPERIENCE DOES MATTER! Yet, we aren’t doing anything about it!

This week I’m feeling the opposite of inspired. I feel frustrated, despondent and maybe even a little cranky. Why? Because everything I read points me to the same conclusion: that now is the time to take a broader and more strategic view of owned media with events as the cornerstone of that strategy. Yet, my frustration grows as I see little evidence of marketers actually being bold and brave enough to take on this challenge.

Here is the proof that the “human to human experience” grows brand value and that this is simply not reflected in how marketing budgets are spent.