New Online Survey Reveals Companies Build Consumer Brand Loyalty Through Simple Birthday Greetings and Special Incentives

NEW YORK, Dec. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies seeking to get closer to their customers simply need to remember and acknowledge their birthdays according to the latest online survey conducted by analytics and marketing technology provider Fulcrum (www.fulcrum-mktg.com).

The survey finds that nearly three out of four (74 percent) consumers who received birthday messages from a company they do business with thought more positively of the company afterwards. Eighty-eight percent of those positive reactions translated to increased brand loyalty.

Consumers responded most positively to birthday greetings from the food and beverage industry, such as Baskin Robbins, Ruby Tuesdays or Starbucks. Ninety-two percent of consumers receiving greetings from such food and beverage establishments thought more positively about the sending company, and 96 percent reported an increase in loyalty.

While nearly all birthday greetings received favorable consumer responses, those which included discounts positively influenced the greatest number of survey respondents. Greetings that included some type of discount or gift were 24 percent more effective in positively impacting consumer opinion than simple birthday greetings (87 percent and 70 percent, respectively).

"While marketers who recognize their customers' birthdays assume the message creates an even stronger relationship with them, our consumer research confirms the positive influence on both the brand's image and future sales to that customer," said Tara Piazza, senior vice president, Fulcrum. "Firms deploying campaigns to celebrate their customers' birthdays tighten consumer relationships while also creating the opportunity to market additional products and services."

The online survey was conducted earlier this year based on interviews with 500 consumers.

Age played a decisive role in how birthday greetings impacted brand loyalty. Consumers between the ages of 25 and 34 were far more likely to report increased loyalty, at 92 percent, compared to those ages 55 and up among whom just 73 percent reported increased loyalty. Income level and gender played significantly smaller roles in differentiating consumer responses.

Consumers not receiving birthday greetings generally have opted out of such communications, refused to provide contact information, or possibly have been ignored by companies they purchase from. The survey results suggest that these companies are missing out on a strong opportunity to engage with customer in a very influential way. Marketers who practice the birthday campaign can attest to the fact that birthday greetings generally have the highest click and conversation rate among all operational emails; they are essentially cost-free and lack the risk of a negative consumer response.

For a copy of Fulcrum's "Birthday Boost" white paper, visit www.fulcrum-mktg.com or write to [email protected] for more information.

About Fulcrum
Fulcrum (www.fulcrum-mktg.com), founded in 1993 and headquartered in New York City, is an analytics and marketing technology company. It helps brands to optimize sales and marketing business processes to drive more profitable customer relationships. Services include turnkey programs to sell extended service plans and OEM accessories, agile marketing databases, systems to solve complex big data challenges, risk and customer analytics tools and loyalty and other CRM programs. Industries served include consumer durable products manufacturers and retailers, grocery chains and specialty retailers, consumer health companies and financial services providers. Fulcrum is an entrepreneurial organization and often ties its compensation to client success.

Media Contacts:
Emily Simmons / Henry Feintuch
Feintuch Communications
212-808-4904 / 212-808-4901
[email protected]
Newsroom: www.feintuchcommunications.com/fulcrum

SOURCE Fulcrum