I had lunch a few weeks ago with Janet Cho in Cleveland.  As we were leaving the restaurant, she pulled her keychain from her purse and I couldn't help but notice that the key ring was loaded with loyalty cards.  I immediately asked her if I could take a picture.  There was something so compelling about the visual of dozens of loyalty cards in a veritable "wheel of fortune" that I knew I wanted to preserve it.

It seems that everywhere I go, sales people and cashiers are asking me if I have their brand of loyalty card.  "It just takes a minute..."  

If I say "no", they immediately invite me to sign up, and sometimes offer me an immediate discount if I'll agree.  If I say "no" again, two things begin to happen.  The store associate starts to sell harder, and I start to feel guilty and often feel obligated to give some explanation about why I'm declining.  My final "no thank you" ends the transaction in an awkward silence.

If I say "yes", the store associate is delighted.  I seem to be a prize, and now I'm special.  I fill out the obligatory sign-up form, growing more hesitant with each additional question - especially the phone number and email address.  I walk out with my loyalty cards - one for my keychain, and one for my wallet.  And then my work begins.  Where do I put the cards?  Will they fit in my wallet?  Do I really want it on my keychain?   Do I give one to my husband?  And what am I really getting for all this effort?

Fast forward to www.shopittome.com - a website and shopping service you may never have heard of, but you will.  From their website: "Shop It To Me began after one too many frustrating trips to on-line retailers. We were tired of finding out about on-line sales too late...Why couldn't we just give someone our preferences and have them search for us?"

So they decided to create a different way to shop.  A quick sign-up to let them know the things you're interested in (handbags - no, shoes - yes, etc.), the brands you want, and your sizes (no worries if you're a different size pant, skirt and top) and you're on your way to having an online personal shopper.  I love it - a Salemail^TM only shows me what I want to see, and I get to choose how often.  You can even pick the retailers you want, and exclude those you don't.

Now why didn't one of my loyalty cards offer me something like that?

The smart marketer will think about marketing programs from the customer's point of view.  It seems we are inundated, however, by programs that have the company's goals in mind.  Loyalty card marketers would be well-served to post a picture of Janet Cho's keychain on their wall.  She covers retail business as a reporter for The Plain Dealer, so her key ring is a symbol of her work.  For the rest of us, loyalty cards are just so yesterday.