1. CUSTOMER LOYALTY CUSTOMER LOYALTY Marc Menant – March 2007

3. CUSTOMER LOYALTY – LOYALTY STAGES Customer loyalty doesn't happen overnight. It's built. Therefore, it's important to recognize that customers typically evolve through loyalty stages. Off-line customers loyalty stages: On-line customers loyalty stages: client advocate Repeat customer 1st time consumer prospect suspect repeat visitor 1st time buyer advocate surfer 1st time visitor repeat buyer client

4. Soft Benefits vs. Hard Benefits: While a combination of hard and soft benefits is ideal, you don't necessarily have to offer "points" or monetary rewards to customers to build loyalty. By providing customers "soft benefits" you can positively impact their behavior. Rick Ferguson wrote an article on soft benefits (The Softer Side of Loyalty*): "Hard benefits are rewards that let customers know they’re getting something free in exchange for their continued patronage. Everybody likes to think he’s getting a deal. This is the rational side of the customer brain at work: I’m getting my money’s worth. But recognition is equally important. Soft benefits are recognition elements that tell customers you know they’re important. Soft benefits help differentiate you from your competitors, particularly in the eyes of your best customers. By offering them privilege, access, special treatment, and other amenities that only program members can obtain, you appeal to the emotional side of the customer brain: They know I’m important." CUSTOMER LOYALTY – SOFT VS. HARD BENEFITS * Please follow the link to find the article: http://chiefmarketer.com/crm_loop/loyalty_soft_benefits_07202006/index.html

6. Are Your Emails Being Seen? 59% of email users routinely block images (Important to keep in mind when you are designing your email communications). MarketingSherpa.com conducted a study of 1,323 online consumers over age 18 and in additional to the 59% blocking images in their emails, other key findings include: 69% of at-work email users view emails in their preview panes 27% of B-to-C consumers use preview panes 38% of online consumers use preview pane 'capable' email clients 64% of people who are offered preview panes start using them as their default 36% of email users aged 18-34 block images 48% of email users aged 35-54 block images 37% of email users aged 55 and over block images CUSTOMER LOYALTY Sources: Monthy Loyalty Insight for Jewelry Retailers, March 2006 Marketingsherpa.com Chiefmarketer.com