A couple years ago I downloaded one of the many language learning apps out there to brush up on some non-English skills I was worried I was losing.

One of the most interesting tactics the app used to keep me engaged and learning was the idea of streaks. Every day I opened the app an did something to improve my skills, I was greeted with animations or badges or alerts that celebrated how many days in a row I’d kept my streak alive.

Streaks are interesting things, because the longer they get, the stronger they get.

Every year that streak is extended, your job gets easier.

Keep it Rolling
There’s something about human nature and behavior that wants to keep these things rolling whether it’s free throws in a row, days in a row sober, or, yes, vacations.

When I was writing the Ultimate Guide to Resort Marketing Automation last year, one of the campaigns that really hit at the sweet spot of simple + effective that I’m a huge fan of was the Loyalty Recognition campaign.

I loved it for a lot of reasons, but especially because – like the language learning app I mentioned at the beginning – I know things that like had changed my behavior before.

Heard This?
How many times have you heard someone say this about their favorite place?

“We love it there, we go every year.”

Going every year isn’t just a manifestation of the streak-loving nature of humans, it’s also a way for people to show how much they love a place.

My question for you today is simply this: if I read through all your of your marketing, would I know that building such traditions is your goal? Think about it this way. Streaks are powerful things, but they have no power if the guest doesn’t know they’ve got a streak going in the first place or not idea that they could get one going.

Loyalty, Differently
This week my focus has clearly been on loyalty, but I’ve tried to say the word loyalty as little as possible. I’ve talked about brainstorming marketing that keeps on giving, increasing return rate through marketing that increases NPS, and now streaks; a word we don’t normally use in normal resort marketing conversation.

The hope of all of this is to think differently about loyalty.

To think about loyalty not as a mysterious byproduct of existing or something that only comes from complex programs, but something that you can – and should – measure, target, and increase with small, thoughtful bits of marketing and copy.

About Gregg & SlopeFillers
I've had more first-time visitors lately, so adding a quick "about" section. I started SlopeFillers in 2010 with the simple goal of sharing great resort marketing strategies. Today I run marketing for resort ecommerce and CRM provider Inntopia, my home mountain is the lovely Nordic Valley, and my favorite marketing campaign remains the Ski Utah TV show that sold me on skiing as a kid in the 90s.