With a title like that, this is bound to be a long post but I'll try to keep it short.
My wife, who is 7 months pregnant and barely drinks coffee or goes to Starbucks, just got an email through their app. If she visits Starbucks 3 times in the next 10 days, she'll earn 100 "bonus stars." Bonus Stars add up to a free item. We made sure to stop in Starbucks at Target today (married life) and order her a pastry and me a coffee (which she paid for to earn those stars).
I, on the other hand, go to Starbucks 1-2 times per day during the week. It's usually an office between meetings for me downtown. Starbucks knows this and therefore I didn't get the same offer. My offers are usually like "Visit Starbucks 4 times in the next 48 hours and earn 50 bonus stars." They know they don't need to try hard to get me in the door but they'd like to see me in even more. Sometimes it affects where I squat between meetings.
They can do this because they are tracking both of our consumer behavior. They pitch different products and incentives based on what we respond to. It's obviously not just Starbucks that does this but companies do it because it works.
UCF should be employing this concept known as "gamification" to increase attendance by deploying the right promotions to the right target audiences at the right times. It's not just giving away free stuff. Badges and social currency work. Sometimes it's a combination of real swag or discounts for swag with social currency. If anyone here is a World of Beer Loyalty member, they know that earning the badges is just as relevant as getting an eventual t-shirt. Badges are free for the company but when done right people value them. UCF example: "Earn the "War on I-4 Badge by attending UCF vs USF in 3 different sports." or earn the "I Was There Badge by attending 2 games where UCF defeats a Top 25 team in any sport."
UCF does now have an app. They have a basic loyalty points program. But I dont think the scope is big enough to do more than reward existing customers. I can't pretend to know how well it is working for them. I just see what we all see in the stands. The great student turnout may indeed be because of this program and that doesn't need to go away. But if alumni and the community aren't coming out, then it's time to broaden the rewards beyond free pizza before the game and partner with sponsors to make it appealing to alumni and residents that aren't buying in.
"Congrats - you've been to at least 8 games. Redeem your Volunteer Coach badge for 50% off a gameday polo at the bookstore" Wouldn't that be cool?
My wife, who is 7 months pregnant and barely drinks coffee or goes to Starbucks, just got an email through their app. If she visits Starbucks 3 times in the next 10 days, she'll earn 100 "bonus stars." Bonus Stars add up to a free item. We made sure to stop in Starbucks at Target today (married life) and order her a pastry and me a coffee (which she paid for to earn those stars).
I, on the other hand, go to Starbucks 1-2 times per day during the week. It's usually an office between meetings for me downtown. Starbucks knows this and therefore I didn't get the same offer. My offers are usually like "Visit Starbucks 4 times in the next 48 hours and earn 50 bonus stars." They know they don't need to try hard to get me in the door but they'd like to see me in even more. Sometimes it affects where I squat between meetings.
They can do this because they are tracking both of our consumer behavior. They pitch different products and incentives based on what we respond to. It's obviously not just Starbucks that does this but companies do it because it works.
UCF should be employing this concept known as "gamification" to increase attendance by deploying the right promotions to the right target audiences at the right times. It's not just giving away free stuff. Badges and social currency work. Sometimes it's a combination of real swag or discounts for swag with social currency. If anyone here is a World of Beer Loyalty member, they know that earning the badges is just as relevant as getting an eventual t-shirt. Badges are free for the company but when done right people value them. UCF example: "Earn the "War on I-4 Badge by attending UCF vs USF in 3 different sports." or earn the "I Was There Badge by attending 2 games where UCF defeats a Top 25 team in any sport."
UCF does now have an app. They have a basic loyalty points program. But I dont think the scope is big enough to do more than reward existing customers. I can't pretend to know how well it is working for them. I just see what we all see in the stands. The great student turnout may indeed be because of this program and that doesn't need to go away. But if alumni and the community aren't coming out, then it's time to broaden the rewards beyond free pizza before the game and partner with sponsors to make it appealing to alumni and residents that aren't buying in.
"Congrats - you've been to at least 8 games. Redeem your Volunteer Coach badge for 50% off a gameday polo at the bookstore" Wouldn't that be cool?
s would never smell and your children would never disobey. Your wife's boobs would grow two sizes and she would lose the power of speech except to say the word "yes." Such is the power of the statue.
