A Subscriber Loyalty Program

August 2006 – ASTECH Roundtable

Stephanie Kohn – Senior Loyalty Manager

Robert Saurer – Director of Business Development

Program Description

New rewards program for loyal subscribers with the goal of improving subscriber retention

Largely web based program

Members receive invitations to VIP events, special discounts and savings, exclusive Globe content and more

Subscribers are enrolled for free through various marketing efforts

Site url is www.bgextras.com

Extras: Events

13 events since January 2006

Editorial connection

Food & Wine with Sheryl & Stephen

Theater with Ed, Scott or Catherine

Globe Magazine launch parties

Events average 30-50 subscribers

Typically sell out first time ad runs!

Events seen as a great growth area

Extras: Tickets

Work with event organizers and national/local retailers to offer special discounts or even free tickets to Globe subscribers

Ticket offer featured on bgextras.com as well as in-paper ads, online and on hotline when appropriate

Globe does not do fulfillment - link to online ticket purchase site or phone number

Extras: Tickets Free:

Boston Kids Expo Globe Travel Show New England Spring Flower Show “Painting Summer in New England” at Peabody Essex Museum Elizabeth Neuffer Forum on Human Rights & Journalism US Women’s Open Pirate’s of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

Discounted: Big Apple Circus: save up to $60 on Family 4-pack Huntington & SpeakEasy Theater tickets- $10 off Boston Movie Tours- 10% off Champions Cup Boston- $5 off tickets Staples Home Office Expo- 50% discount on pre-registration

purchase Hot Stove, Cool Music- 50% discount AMC Movie Tickets- 14% discount on “Two for the Show”

Extras: Ad Discounts

Percentage/money off purchases, free trial offers or gift certificates, etc. LaZBoy, AmEx/Milne Travel,

Zagat’s, Beauty Mark

Opportunity to build bigger initiative

Attitash Mountain Giveaway 40% off plus contest- 2 night stay

for 4 Topper, in-paper ads, online

Current Status

January 2006 launch

>35,000 members

Additional content available includes:

Archive Access

Globe & NYT Stores

Best of the Globe

Subscriber Marketing

In-paper

¼ page, color, ROP

Feature advertiser logo plus teaser copy

Drive to BGE site for more

Subscriber Marketing

Subscriber Marketing

Online

ROP on Boston.com

Two types-

BGE specific

Advertiser/offer specific

New Sales Tool for Ad Reps!

Customizable PDF

Insert client’s logo

Insert your info

Jan can help!

Additional Advertiser Opportunities

Special offer for BGE members– placement in BGE communications

Event sponsorship

Rotating offer in monthly topper to launch in late 2006

Success Measures Program Usage:

Though limited in size Events have met with resounding success and great subscriber feedback

Advertisers discounts are being utilized and advertisers are happy with the volume (frequent communication is key)

Ticket discounts do very well and are expected to grow

Retention Improvement: Developing a methodology to test improvements in retention that

attempt to minimize self selection (first report due out in 2007) E-panel survey kicks off Q4 Previous version of BGE was tested and retention of loyalty

program subscribers was 20% points better than non-loyalty subscribers (but cannot suggest this is the true impact of loyalty programs)

Success Measures

Budget and ROI: BGE will cost us $110,000 in 2007 (mainly event support

and subscriber communication – note: approximately 1 FTE is required to support the program)

If the retention improvements can exceed approximately 1,000 copies of benefit the program will pay for itself (advertising benefits not part of the equation yet)