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Posted on Thu, 01/19/2012 - 03:00 PM by
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Today, online marketing tool provider Constant Contact announced its acquisition of mobile loyalty application CardStar. CardStar is the mobile version of the loyalty cards we all carry around in our wallets…only condensed into a single app.
CardStar, which is available as an application for Android, iPhone, Nokia, BlackBerry and Windows phones, currently has more than 2 million users. Consumers can keep track of multiple membership and rewards cards, such as what you would scan at a CVS or Best Buy. Merchants can send geotargeted offers to customers, as well as track consumer behavior with the application, according to CardStar’s site. As to why Constant Contact decided to get into the mobile loyalty space, CEO Gail Goodman said: “We have had our eye on two tech trends: mobile and loyalty. What we found with CardStar is the convergence of these two.” Will We See an Increase in Small Business Loyalty Programs? In the past, loyalty programs have been most popular with big-box retailers. Small businesses haven’t jumped in to the same degree, maybe due to the fact that loyalty programs have been, in Goodman’s words, too “administratively cumbersome.” Most small businesses don’t have the bandwidth to manage the analytics and track coupon redemption of their individual loyalty programs. According to Goodman, to date “nobody has brought to market a simple, powerful solution” to small business loyalty programs. With CardStar, Constant Contact aims to make loyalty programs more within reach of small businesses. Constant Contact’s Strategy Constant Contact’s announcement today mentioned this as being a milestone in its “evolution from an email marketing company to the leading provider of online marketing tools that help small businesses create and grow customer relationships.” Over the past couple of years, the company has acquired NutshellMail, Bantam Live, and Social CRM, all of which have added to its shift away from solely email-based services. Moving into mobile marketing fits further broadens its offerings. As small businesses tie in their social media, email and mobile marketing strategies together, we’re seeing more companies offering more all-inclusive services. Constant Contact seems to be following the same strategy. ”We think small businesses shouldn’t rely on any one channel as a way to stay connected to customers. They need to use every tool available,”said Goodman. Goodman says that Constant Contact has focused on helping small businesses create and grow their customer relationships, and that CardStar is another tool to help them do so. CardStar is available as a free mobile download for consumers. Constant Contact will eventually wrap up CardStar into its offerings to clients through its site. MORE NEWS FROM SMALL BUSINESS TRENDSWhat Job Are You Helping Your Customers Do?Marketing is often described in terms of a product life cycle. The development, the launch, continued support, and finally, discontinuation all have specific marketing efforts associated with them. From social contests to reduced prices and giveaways, the emphasis is nearly always on the product or service provided. However, this does not take into account the way that customers actually search for and find products. Small Business Loans and Small Loans to BusinessA few weeks ago, I wrote about the decline in “small loans to business” during the Great Recession and economic recovery that followed. Now I am back to tell you that data on “small business loans” paints an even worse picture of the small business credit markets. As U.S. Small Biz Week Arrives, Are You Stressed or Optimistic?With the arrival of National Small Business Week here in the U.S., a variety of events, beginning yesterday, have been scheduled in Washington D.C. and across the country to recognize the importance of small business to the U.S. economy and to address topics important to small business owners. Just in time, a semi-annual study of American small businesses shows those business owners to be stressed but optimistic. Check out the schedule of national events and hear what leaders and small business owners are saying about issues most important to small business today. Why You Should Read Engagement MarketingEngagement Marketing: How Small Business Wins in a Socially Connected World is the new book about how to get and keep customers by engaging with them. Pointers on Hiring a Marketing Firm for Your Small BusinessI’m not here to tell you which marketing firm to use. Rather, I’d like to offer you some pointers on what to look for when hiring a marketing firm. I believe the search starts with you. Ask yourself some foundational questions to get a handle on what you are looking for. RELATED SMALL BUSINESS NEWSDon’t push when you can pullNo selling required There is a better way of winning new customers than pushing you and your B2B offer at them. Customers love it because they’re buying rather than being sold to. You’ll like it because it feels better than selling and you’ll get more long term business from it. U... You’re the Boss Blog: White House Opposes Small-Business Contracting Provision in Defense BillIn a statement, the administration called higher goals for small-business contracting "laudable but overly ambitious." ... How the 'Little Guy' Can Partner With Big CompaniesIf you're a little guy, there are plenty of ways to partner with a much larger company. Here are seven. ... "Scott Thompson Was A Terrible CEO" And Other Snippets From Fred WilsonAs always, Fred Wilson had a lot of insights share this morning at TechCrunch's Disrupt conference in New York. Here are some of the highlights from his talk with the always barbed Mike Arrington:... SRDC Is Offering Loans Through RLFSouthwest Regional Development Commission (SRDC) is offering loans through revolving loan fund (RLF). Its purpose is to have a direct financing tool making loan funds available so as to assist in retail, manufacturing, and distribution businesses. |
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