Loyalty 101 - Take a note from American Airlines

On Tuesday, I received an email from American Airlines. I have been an AAdvantage member for some time. The email talked about the airline's "reorganization" under Chapter 13 - aka bankruptcy protection. I appreciated the note, especially since the following day, I read about the bankruptcy filing on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. This is an example of a best practice...notifying and reassuring your base - your most loyal customers - before the public announcement. This makes your customers feel a part of the process and ensures they will continue to trust and be loyal to the company. It is also best to use your own wording when describing a new challenge that your company or organization is facing. You should always frame the message first (before the media, competitors, etc. do).

Here is an excerpt from the letter:

Dear AAdvantage^® Member,

As you may know, on Tuesday, November 29, American Airlines filed for reorganization under Chapter 11. We took this action as part of our efforts to secure our long-term success in delivering the highest standards in air travel. We are committed to meeting your travel needs with outstanding customer service and safety, and it will be business as usual at American throughout our reorganization process. More than 80,000 people at American appreciate your loyalty and look forward to continuing to serve you.

Why Non-Profits Need a Members-Only FB Page

So, you finally got around to setting up a Facebook page and maybe even a Twitter account for your organization...but are you truly engaging your members or regular donors?

Just like successful customer-focused companies do, (check out www.facebook.com/kimptonintouch)  you too should create a facebook page to regularly interact with your members or donors.

What can I do with my new member facebook page?

With this new "customer relationship management" tool, you can:

-- Provide member-only announcements and incentives.

Example:  "We are hosting a special training session on 'using social media to engage donors'...please click here to register for this member-only event."

--Engage donors and ask for their input.

Example:  "Good morning friends, today we are considering doing either a 5K or a raffle to raise the extra money we need to fund project X, which idea do you support and why?"

--Gain new members and supporters.

Example: "Our organization just received a corporate sponsor to fund a new effort IF we can enlist 100 new members by the end of the week.  Can you help?  Please send this invitation link to your friends and family...."

--Invite your members or donors to special events or to participate in campaigns

Example: "Today we launch the Save the Park campaign...be the first to like the new web site and help us share the word with others"

--Provide discounts for admission (if you are a museum for example) or for partner or corporate sponsors or donors. 

Example, "This coming Tuesday only - come to the museum and bring 2 extra guests for free" OR

"Thanks to our generous sponsor, X Company, we are giving out a limited number of coupons for $10 off your next grocery purchase when you donate $10 to our new project"

Was this advice helpful?

Do you need some help implementing these ideas?

Please let me know how I can help!  415-857-5857 or vanessa@exitomarketing.com