The Battle Against Loyalty Program Myths

"When it pains, it pours" is a phrase I've often heard, mainly because I made it up and I practiced it in front of the mirror several times before sitting down to write this blog (and of course I'm just kidding).

Kidding or not, I don't need to tell you about the expressions of consumer pain pouring out when people social-mediate about negative experiences (real or imagined) about redeeming loyalty-program rewards - and specific to this discussion, frequent-flyer program redemptions. Blackouts, expiration, inability to upgrade from first class to sitting in the flight deck (just kidding again). Yes, consumers also social-mediate about great experiences, but I needn't go into all the theory and reality of how rumors and bad news and myths travel faster than, oh, the speed of your typical trans-continental flight, now do I?

So it's refreshing to see an independent voice point out the fallacies surrounding myths about the programs we're involved in: "5 Myths Debunked for Frequent-Flyer Miles" from Fodor's Guest Blogger Brian Kelly.

It's good to have the independent defenders - and thank you, Brian. But the defense and the compassionate offense should also come from the industry itself. Marketers, are you defending against the myths as succinctly as Brian Kelley is? And here I'm not talking only about PR and communications, though those are elements. And I'm not talking only about execution in action that disproves the myths, though nothing succeeds if execution doesn't succeed. Specifically:

* Are you fully aware of the myths and misconceptions about the loyalty efforts in your industry in general, and about your efforts specifically?
* Have you created a value-prop that addresses the myths head on, so uniquely and powerfully that outsiders recognize it and tout it, and insiders embrace it?
* Have you communicated the positives clearly enough to not only inspire positive word-of-mouth but also erode the myths?
* Have you stood in front of the mirror practicing saying "When it pains, it pours"? If you have, then you're almost as silly as I am.