Customer Reviews

Loyalty Marketing: The Second Act

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"Loyalty Marketing: The Second Act�h by Brian Woolf

Retail is a complex system involving many, many factors. In 1996, in his first book, �gCustomer Specific Marketing�h Brian Woolf added two additional lines to the diagram of this complexity: �gCustomers are not equal�h and �gBehavior follows rewards.�h I cannot think of any marketing book ever published that has induced as many retailers, especially grocers, into implementing its basic concepts, as did this book.
�gLoyalty Marketing: The Second Act�h is a natural sequence to Woolf�fs earlier book, providing an updated insight into loyalty marketing using real examples from around the world. This book will spark debates and discussions among retailers and the next level of insights, �gThe Third Act�h, will be anxiously awaited.
Database marketing has long been in existence but unfortunately has been too academic, too abstract, too theoretical, and too impractical for retailers to implement. Brian Woolf�fs greatest contribution to the industry, though not much noticed, has been to transform esoteric marketing terms and concepts into easy-to-understand everyday words and practical ideas.
This book is a must reading for those charged with marketing. Indeed, for everyone in retail, the most competitive industry today.

I work in the field of loyalty and customer marketing and am always on the hunt for sources that will show my clients real world examples of loyalty marketing in action. Brian Woolf does a superb job in presenting examples from loyalty programs that are making a difference in businesses around the globe. He reminds his readers of three important tenets often misunderstood by the inexperienced marketer: first: to focus on strategy before tactics,tools or points; second: to identify what the customer perceives is a loyalty motivator; and third: that you can gain customer loyalty without having to give up any gross margin.

After having read Mr. Woolf's book "Shrinking the Corporate Waistline", and using it as a guide for my business, I was even more impressed with his book Customer Specific Marketing- The New Power in Retailing. After having worn this book out, I ordered 35 copies for each of my Supermarket Manager's, just prior to kicking off our Loyalty Card Program. The success we were able to derive from this simple approach, was unbelievable!!

Now that I am Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a 120 store chain of Convenience Stores, I was overwhelmed with his newest offering. We will soon begin it here.

After having had the opportunity to hear Mr. Woolf speak of Loyalty Marketing, in the simplist of terms, to as complex as you could keep up with, I am amazed with his insight. I am still digesting his "Second Act", after having gone through it for the third time. The down to earth approach he takes, and the attitude he carries through with, let's you know he is truly talking from experience. The practices he illustrates in length throughout the book, makes it a must read for businessmen and businesswomen who are really interested in customer retention. One thing you will learn from Mr. Woolf is "it's much more important to reach the customers who count, rather than counting the customers you reach! This is a very good book!

Brian Woolf to me is an unparallelled expert in explaining the thought process behind, and the benefits of customer relationship marketing in a clear and pragmatic way; in a language very common to retailers worldwide. "Loyalty Marketing - The Second Act" is a highly practical sequel to his last book on CRM called "Customer Specific Marketing". Again he combines his vast consulting experience, his knowledge of insightful retail cases (famous is Superquinn, but to me Tesco remains the most brilliant example of professional CRM by a leading retailer) with a sharp analytical mind to describe what retailers should do to make a fundamental shift from mass marketing and product focus to structural increase in bottom line result. This book is not about investments in software or systems, but combining true customer centered thinking with the use of detailed customer knowledge to improve your performance for the benefit of your best customers. Brian sketches in this book that a lot of retailers get stuck after having taken the first step in differential marketing. But he continues with numerous examples of companies, strategies, campaigns and underlying arguments and easy-to-implement reports to show you how to move forward succesfully in a relatively simple way. My suggestion to you is to read this book as I did: thoroughly, page-by-page, and absorp all the highly practical suggestions. Just as his last book "CSM" was a very useful book for numerous retailers to get started with differential marketing, will this book allow many retailers to professionalize their CRM strategy and tactics: to start that "second act" and build customer retention, satisfaction and profitability.

I have read Brian Woolf's two most recent works on loyalty marketing. For many, the world of loyalty marketing and its results may seem incomprehensible, or worse yet, unquantifiable. However, in his new book, "Loyalty Marketing: The Second Act", Brian has conveyed the importance and power of building real loyalty with the consumer. His frequent use of case studies spanning several industries, illustrates and quantifies the benefits of building an effective loyalty program and putting it to work in even the most competitive and mature of markets. In today's business environment, it's not enough to simply attract new customers. The silver bullet for success is the ability to retain those customers through the years to come.

Whether you are a proprietor or charged with the marketing initiatives of a large retailer, Brian's real-life examples and insights captured in his latest book, will give you the competitive edge to secure profitable and loyal customers.

Brian Woolf's book provides marketers with a keen insight into what it takes to succeed in loyalty marketing today. Not only are these strategies and tactics clearly described, but there is also significant emphasis placed on how to measure customer behavior.

For those of you who think that loyalty marketing is way too complicated, think again. Brian, is able to clearly convey his message to through the outstanding use of many case studies from a wide variety of businesses. These studies will spark the reader's own thought processes and allow you to in incorporate customer specific marketing to all areas of your business.

This book has something for everyone, from those just beginning to develop a loyalty program, to companies that have practiced it for years. These insights will explain what it takes to succeed with today's savvy consumer.

Randy Tidmore, Customer Information Manager, BI-LO Inc., Greenville, SC

I work in the one to one marketing area for the last 12 years. Usually I try to find good books to keep in touch with the market. One of the things I appreciate is to find practical materials that I can use in my job.
Some years ago I found "Customer specific Marketing" from the same author. I have read that book no less than a dozen times. It really contains practical materials that can be put into practice very quickly. This is why I was expecting "Loyalty Marketing. Second Act"
I heve read the book twice and can say that Mr.Woolf has done an outstanding job again. It has a complete review of all the topics that retailers need to consider in order to be serious with loyalty Marketing. The benchmarking of the book is amazing and the practical suggestions very rich.
My guess is that this book will be in the Olympus of the great Marketing books.

To me, Brian Woolf�fs Customer SpecificMarketing(1996) is one of the most revolutionary and influential business books ever published in Japan. His fundamental concept of �gall the customers are notequal�h there is finely sublimed into a practical marketing concept of �gBest CustomerStrategy�h in his latest book Loyalty Marketing. With a lot of in depth case studies of some of the most successful loyalty companies of the world, this book will be a practical guide for Japanese retailers who want to win customers�floyalty.

When I read the first book of Mr Woolf for me it was a revolution in term of loyalty for retail organization and all the things in the book I try to apply them to my customers.
The second one that I have read in 2006 (five years after it's first edition brings me less learnings. May be it's too late, may too much books have been written on the subject (loyalty and CRM).
Whatever the book should be read because Mr Woolf is a specialist of the subject.