Loyalty.Com: Customer Relationship Management in the New Era of Internet Marketing

Wow. This book really shook some of my assumptions and prejudices about CRM. I've been consulting for businesses about how to build market share and brand value for sixteen years, but I feel as if I've only just learned how loyalty actually works. I don't think anyone can claim to understand customer relationships until they've read this book. Plus it's clearly, succinctly and memorably written. A real gem, and a must-have for everyone in marketing.

This superb work clearly shows why customer loyalty cannot be bought but can be earned. The book ties together concepts of customer permission, loyalty programs, and database marketing. The main premise is simple: if a marketer can understand what a customer values and then delights her by giving it to her, when she wants it, in a way she desires it, the results will be amazing. Not only will the customer pay full price, but the marketer can win the customer's loyalty to a depth that cannot be achieved with points programs alone. The relationship will be enriched by the marketer's attention to and action on what the customer thinks is important. Newell gives plenty of anecdotal examples taking into account electronic marketing in both the B2C and B2B spaces, as well as brick and mortar cases.

Having lived through a .com start up, I thoroughly enjoyed this book as it explains how to be a successful one! Everyone who is involved with a .com this should be a must read.

I start a lot of business books and am rarely compelled to finish them. But this was different. Very, very well-written with excellent case studies and examples thorough -- for every industry imaginable. From the history, to the practice of CRM today, to the cases, I enjoyed this book and found it very helpful.

Finally, a book on customer relationship management for the web! All this and in a writing style that is easy to understand. This should be at the top of every retailer's reading list.