The idea that companies need to adapt their marketing techniques for the digital landscape isn’t new. But as consumers interact more and more with companies and brands online and through mobile devices, the loyalty programs that drive customer attraction and retention are more important than ever.

Retail consumers are increasingly disloyal. A recent CMO council study reported that over the course of a year for the average brand, 52 percent of highly loyal consumers either reduced loyalty or left the brand completely the following year.

Why?

This decline could be explained by many factors. Lack of relevancy between the consumer and the brand can contribute, and after a negative experience, consumers are less forgiving. Also, consumers distrust brand messaging and often turn to online networks for buying advice.

To respond to this shift in consumer buying habits, and toward a better balance, many companies have expanded traditional loyalty programs to include social media and mobile devices. According to Loyalty 360, 57 percent of consumers would join a brand's loyalty club on a social media channel like Facebook.

How has your company added to its loyalty programs? At Archway, we’ve seen first hand how companies can benefit from social media’s reach and influence. We support social media promotions on the back end by fulfilling requests for literature or samples from consumers. For some of our clients, we’ve ramped-up to support thousands of requests daily. With the Internet’s stronghold on the retail sector, loyalty programs that work with the new digital landscape and traditional loyalty programs will positively affect the way people shop.