Posts by Nicole Barker
Die Tiers, Die: The Sequel
Top Ten Questions to Ask About Your Tiered Card Program I first introduced the phrase “Die, Tiers, Die” at the Raving NEXT conference in 2014. My prophecy hasn’t come true. Tiered card programs haven’t died. And yet, the battle cry remains. The dissatisfaction with tiered card programs is the most recurrent discussion I’ve had in…
Read MoreIs your copy REALLY connecting with your guests?
It’s due every month. You could promote your next promotion. Describe a few feature coupons. Tout the new item at the buffet and be done with it. But do you really want to roll out the same paragraphs … again? Direct Mail still delivers phenomenal results. My question is whether your mail piece is doing…
Read MoreWhat Is Keeping You from Loyalty 360?
Do you have a stool problem? Loyalty 360 represents the shift from the selling of a product, or a building, or even an experience, to one of building a community of guests based upon highly personalized interests. This commitment to relevance and resonance will not come easily. You may first need to break through some…
Read MoreRe-Imagining Database Marketing: Shift Your Thinking to Loyalty 360
Pick up a pen. Place it in your opposite hand. Draw a circle. Write your name. How does that feel? Do the muscles in your fingers tense? Do you apply more pressure to exert more control? Relax your grip. Release your concentration a bit. Think of the end goal of the circle and how your…
Read MoreThere’s a Hole in the Bucket, Dear Liza, Dear Liza …
Cyclical problem-solving Do you worry? Do you fret? Do you seek solutions, but seem to end up where you started? That’s the result of cyclical problem-solving. Cyclical problem-solving occurs when organizations seek quick solutions to surface-level problems. Oftentimes, the problems originate in one program or department, but represent an iceberg of subsurface symptoms that represent…
Read MoreMake the Transition from Linear Marketing to Loyalty 360
Why fly fishing is the answer to embarking on this new adventure There is a difference between linear marketing and managing the customer experience. Linear marketing is a means of designing an offer path for the customer. In Acquisition mode, we sign the customer up for a loyalty card. We guide the customer towards Retention…
Read MoreHow Do You Tap Into Your Players’ Passions?
Tapping Into Passion: Why Following Your Patrons’ Passions Will Draw You Closer To Long-Term Loyalty When you tap into passion, technology becomes a vehicle, not an impediment. People of all ages, demographics, and socio-economic backgrounds will find a way to connect, to engage, and to further their exploration if passion is at play. Before you…
Read MoreThe Sharper The Knife, The Less You Bleed
Cutco makes fabulous knives. Customers pay a premium to have a knife for bread, a knife for steak, and a knife for mayonnaise. Yes, a knife for mayonnaise. If you’ve ever made a sandwich with a spatula spreader, you know what I’m writing about. To our peril, we’ve been using a meat cleaver for everything,…
Read MoreHow to Deliver a Winning Experience Through Kiosk Promotions
The Dos and Donts of Kiosks – Beware the booby prize I know what you’re thinking. Our customers may very well appreciate a booby prize. I know you have inventory that you would love to get rid of. Too many keychains? Put it on the prize list. Extra boxes of baseball hats? Add it to…
Read MoreIs Free Play a DEFCON One Maneuver?
Do we need to operate in a constant state of emergency? Oftentimes, our effectiveness as leaders and marketers is based upon a sustained state of emergency. What foe do we have to fight? What markets do we have to capture? What costs can we conquer? What profits can we maximize? Is this heightened state of…
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