Loyalty expert: Large or small, rewards must first be relevant

The best ads in the online space work because the content and products are relevant to the consumer - they have queried a search engine, they have made a prior purchase or have joined an email list. The same holds true for rewards programs, which is where the platform e-Miles comes in.

Through the platform consumers opt-in, review offers and choose only offers relevant or interesting to them. They accrue rewards points according to the offers chosen and can then transfer those points to partner company rewards programs.

"E-Miles customizes ads to the member's stated interests, providing an unparalleled level of engagement," said James Burrows, Executive Vice President of Global Sales with e-Miles. "[The consumer] controls both the type of offers and their level of involvement. Companies can't do a blanket approach for all consumers. Engagement with rewards brands is all about relevancy. Some consumers participating in rewards programs might only want the biggest brands; others may be interested in just coupon savings."

Another tip from Burrows? Audiences need to be segmented and targeted according to their specific interests for long-term program growth and results. This is where e-Miles is different from many programs because consumers opt-in and note their preferences for accruing points. That anonymous data is then worked into a program to fit the right consumer with the right brand at the right time so maximize program results.

"Brands need to not only target the proper groups, but also use all of their data and profiles to extract maximum customer value," said Burrows.

Consumers in the program also complete short questionnaires about the offered products, ads or companies in the program. This gives the brand necessary feedback to tweak or change campaigns for better ROI.

Tags: eMiles, James Burrows, loyalty marketing, loyalty programs, reward programs