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Let's start with a stat: Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans are currently subscribed to at least one loyalty program, according to this report from YouGov. Now here's a "non-stat" question: How many brands can you think of that don't have some kind of loyalty or rewards program? It's accepted wisdom that franchise brands, especially QSRs and others with daily or repeat customers, have such a program to reward their "frequent fliers." Sure, they're a great way to gather data on customers, to send them timely offers, and to keep them from competitors' doors. But what do customers really think about these programs? This report takes a look into answering that question and more. Among the topics the report delves into are: what people want from a loyalty program; industry variations in loyalty programs; the positive impacts of having a loyalty program; and how people claim points and rewards. The report is downloadable and free for the usual tradeoff of some personal information.
One thing about being a CMO today: the job changes so fast you can never get complacent, much less comfortable. So as good as you are, you can always get better. Customer engagement company Airship (formerly Urban Airship) has published a report with 10 critical questions they believe every CMO interested in staying ahead of the competition should be asking themselves and their team. To get you started, here are the first three from the report:
This update from SmartBrief, "Emerging Technologies Find Their Place in Marketing: How marketers can survive in a sea of technology," takes a look at four up-and-coming technologies in the early stages of finding their way into a marketer's toolkit. Consider it a kind of CliffsNotes on the following technologies, which are here today - and will be more so tomorrow. Be prepared.
The brief, 5-page report closes with four best practices for managing your tech strategy: 1) Be agile; 2) Find tools that integrate well; 3) Hire the right people; and 4) Coordinate internally.
Peter Romeo, Editor at Large for Restaurant Business, has compiled a list of 5 books he recommends to restaurant operators that he describes as "pertinent to the business, as written by some of its storied successes. They provide a dash of entertainment and insight for operators who hope to make the summer of 2019 a standout season businesswise."
Find more from Romeo on each book here.