Being able to predict what type of products and services your target audience is interested in and when they are more likely to buy is the key to marketing success.  The trouble is measuring an intangible factor, such as a customer’s buying preferences, is not as easy as measuring the person’s demographics like age and income.

This is where loyalty programs can help you build a database of more than just age, race, income and gender.  Loyalty programs track a consumer’s buying habits – allowing you to analyze the data and produce and send messages that are both relevant to the consumer’s interests and sent when they’re most likely ready to buy.

Personalizing your email and direct mail marketing messages to your target audience using the information collected by your loyalty program enables you to reach your audience with relevant messages based on your database’s collection of your audiences past buying habits and preferences.

Furthermore, using the loyalty program’s data can also give you insight as to how often a person dines in your restaurant, buys your products or utilizes your services.  Based on that information you can send targeted messages to your audience when they are most likely ready to makes a purchase again.

A loyalty program’s data enables you to collect information on an individual’s purchasing habits and preferences, and not simply their demographics.  By implementing a Loyalty program and taking the time to analyze the data collected you can create and use an extremely powerful database of consumer information – which will ultimately increase your return on marketing investments.

Don’t forget to check back tomorrow as we will discuss how to best maintain your database in order to create these personalized and targeted messages.

Timothy Freeman
President 
Print & Graphic Communications Association