WTF is an incentives marketing strategy? | How brands are merging loyalty programs and promotions to build long-term customer value

This WTF guide, with partner insights from Talon.One, explores why brands should move away from a siloed approach to loyalty and promotions, and should instead implement a unified incentives marketing strategy to create long-term customer value and differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace.

Loyalty, promotions and discount programs are moving up the C-suite agenda as more brands bid farewell to mass markdowns and say hello to tailored, data-driven incentives to build customer loyalty. But many leaders are still at a loss for exactly how to create an incentives strategy that combats rising customer acquisition costs, enhances customer retention and creates predictable revenue streams — especially in a competitive market.

“CMOs and CEOs tell us that they want to discount less, but that only happens when they’re thoughtful and lean into it,” said Christoph Gerber, co-founder and CEO at incentives platform Talon.One. “We frequently see across otherwise sophisticated businesses that discounts and loyalty are a neglected part of the marketing estate. That C-suite neglect only breeds more discounting. It’s this paradox of needing to lean in to do less.”

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