Citi, Zappos, Starbucks, Red Bull, and Best Buy Are Among Those That Lead the Way in the Social Media Conversation

Cincinnati, OH -- (SBWire) -- 03/14/2011 -- In its most recent issue, COLLOQUY magazine, the voice of loyalty marketing since 1990, explores the melding of loyalty and social media. COLLOQUY’s Contributing Editor Sharon M. Goldman takes the reader through this intersection in a fast-paced read titled “Trialogue – The Intersection of Social Media and Loyalty.”

Trialogue delivers a powerful means of engaging with customers, and a platform for customers to champion brands through personal networks. Social media clearly offers transformational loyalty-marketing opportunities, and some big-name players have been spearheading the initiative.

Many experts point to Starbucks’ MyStarbucksIdea program as an early, continually successful effort to create a three-way conversation on a wide scale. Citi is planning on a click-to-call and click-to-chat feature that steers users away from the social media site after engagement. InterContinental Hotels Group’s three private online communities drawn from their 52-million-strong Priority Club membership have been a key element in the chain’s social media efforts.

Businesses are getting involved in social media in part because that’s where the customers are: In 2010, Americans spent nearly a quarter of their online time on social networking sites and blogs, an increase of almost 16% over 2009, according to Nielsen.

Two main forces that truly offer the chance for companies to move the needle on loyalty:
1. Social media as a catalyst for storytelling and story-sharing through trialogue.
2. New platforms for engagement and involvement harness fundamental loyalty factors.

COLLOQUY magazine, published by LoyaltyOne, explores critical best practices, innovations, trends, opinion and strategies in relationship, dialogue and database marketing. Coverage in the latest edition also includes:

Cover Story: Trialogue – The Intersection of Social Media and Loyalty
The powerful reach of social media enables loyalty marketers to extend their mastery of dialogue with customers on a grand scale, achieving trialogue: proactive three-way conversation between customers and their friends and the companies they really care about.

How can companies truly interject themselves into the customer-to-friend equation and harness social media? Listen to the questions and join the conversation – and be sure to tell your friends.

Retail Report: Power of the Program
Discover how GameStop lives up to its motto of “Power to the Players” with its energizing PowerUp Rewards program, launched in September 2010 and already sporting 6 million members—with more Power, and more Up, yet to come.

Travel Report: Rapid Change – The Revamp of Rapid Rewards
The revamp of Rapid Rewards marks a radical change in Southwest’s venerable frequent-flyer program. Senior Director of Customer Loyalty and Partnerships Ryan Green describes the careful (and non-rapid) planning and design that preceded the revamp.

Strategy Report: HHonored Guests
Hilton Senior Vice President of Global Customer Marketing Jeff Diskin describes how Hilton and HHonors MyWay are recalibrating the power of the loyalty program to stay close to the customer.

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http://www.colloquy.com/download-current.asp

About COLLOQUY
COLLOQUY® comprises a collection of publishing, education and research resources devoted to the global loyalty-marketing industry.

Owned by LoyaltyOne, COLLOQUY has served the loyalty-marketing industry since 1990 with over 40,000 global subscribers to its magazine and www.colloquy.com the most comprehensive loyalty web site in the world. COLLOQUY’s research division develops research studies and white papers including industry-specific reports, sizing studies and insights into the drivers of consumer behavior.

COLLOQUY also provides educational services through workshops, webinars and speeches at events throughout the world and is a loyalty-marketing partner of both the Direct Marketing Association and the Canadian Marketing Association and a content provider to the American Marketing Association. COLLOQUY also operates the COLLOQUY Network, a global consortium of practitioners certified in COLLOQUY’s proprietary methodology. COLLOQUY magazine subscriptions are available at no cost to qualified persons at http://www.colloquy.com or by calling 513.248.9184.