Success Story: Sun-Sentinel of South Florida

We get it – not all newspapers’ customers have the same demographics and interests. Young vs. not-so-young. Casual vs. sophisticated tastes in dining and entertainment. And so on.

That’s why when the Sun-Sentinel told us about their challenge of building subscriptions for three very different target audiences in South Florida we assured them we could help. What follows is an overview of the program we created for them.

Three Audiences, Three Unique Reward Cards

Audience #1 – Snowbirds who spend 1-3 months in the region

We knew that one of the activities this audience enjoyed while living in South Florida during the winter was playing golf. We enticed golf courses in the area to contribute 36 free rounds of golf – a $1,000+ value. The offering was timed so that the moment the Snowbirds landed in the area, they were eligible to begin redeeming the golf offers. The managers of the golf courses loved the idea of giving part-time residents the opportunity to experience the beauty of their greens, certain that the complimentary rounds would lead to future business.

Audience #2 – Year-round, affluent residents

For the upscale audience in the region, we created a Rewards Card featuring offers that would send a meaningful “Thank You” message year-round to the subscriber. The offers in this segment of the program included discounts at fine-dining restaurants, salons, theaters and other services that appeal to this audience. Again, the local businesses who chose to participate in the program welcomed the idea of reaching new or possibly old customers.

Audience #3 – Year-round, less-affluent residents

For year-round residents whose interests are more basic, we put together a Rewards Card featuring offers for one of the most popular foods in the world – pizza! We contacted a variety of restaurants in the area that specialized in or offered pizza as a main menu item. Given the competitiveness of this business, restaurant owners were excited to have a new way to entice new and old customers to dine in their establishment.

This program generated 15-25% on renewal subscriptions. It’s the typical success rate GoalGetters’ clients see when their trial subscription includes one of our Subscriber Appreciation Cards. Here’s why.

All of the offers we feature are valid for 14 months. This is a requirement for businesses to participate in our programs. So, when a newspaper is seeking renewals after 60-90 days, their subscribers are still enjoying the offers on their Rewards Card and feeling very good about the gift they received from the publisher. Whether they received the Rewards Card for signing up at their front door, at an event, in the supermarket, or over the phone, it’s a gift so meaningful it makes it a no-brainer for many of them to say yes to the renewal.

Since 1986, GoalGetters, Inc. has been providing acquisition, retention and revenue-generating loyalty rewards programs for newspapers, cable and energy companies and fundraisers.