Talk about Target Marketing

Tuesday, June 15, 2004 – If you’re like me, you own more loyalty cards than you care to admit, but like a good boy scout showing off his merit badges, you don’t hesitate to flash them — with great pride — at the register. These cards, of course, are used by database marketers to keep track of our purchases, but on the surface, all most of us consumers care about are the “rewards” (read: discounts) we receive for our frequent patronage. Yes, there are those who dismiss such loyalty marketing tactics as too “big-brother”-like. But privacy concerns aside, I think these cards point up an incredibly effective way to forge bonds with your audience and introduce them to products and services they’ve shown a predisposition to buy. For instance, the fact that I use my Extra Care card at CVS/Pharmacy about a gazillion times a month means I get a lot of direct mail from this chain — such as the brilliant piece I received over the weekend promoting the Shoebox line of cards. Talk about target marketing. I’m one of those guys (I know, contrary to gender stereotypes) who buys a handful of cards at a time, and just recently I went on a binge. So not only did CVS have the offer down pat, but the timing was right, too. (Nothing like striking while the iron is hot!) And let’s not overlook the creative, either. Inside a faux hand-addressed envelope were several coupons for Shoebox cards nested inside an actual, life-size birthday card featuring this perfectly executed copy: “It may not be your birthday, but we just couldn’t wait to show you this great card! It’s from the new Shoebox collection at your local CVS store. Come on down for a look, and bring these exclusive coupons along. They’re our way of saying thank you for being one of our most valued customers.” Yup. One of their most valued — and loyal — customers, that’s me. And innovative marketing like this is partly the reason why.

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