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A Taste To Start
If your customer buys once, you made a sale. If they come back, you built trust. If they tell others, you built a brand.
Reservation Calendar
The events worth preparing for
Tastemaker’s Note → Every brand has customers but the problem is that not every brand has loyalty. The difference here is built long before Q4 begins. It starts in the product, the culture, the follow-through and more. These five above events are where the people building retention into the architecture of their businesses (not just their marketing budgets) are spending their time. Goal: Understand the distinction and sharpen it before the year closes out 💪
Letter From The Tastemaker
If you enjoy croissants + pistachio cream, you know that the soft, flaky, buttery texture is pure goodness for the tastebuds and the soul. It simply melts in your mouth without warning.
Finding great places to work from that offer delicious treats are such a blessing for someone who mainly works from home.
Small. Discreet. Welcoming.
All of these are centered around privacy, exclusivity and total peace of mind.
And very few places deliver those promises in my area (or I may be exceptionally picky, which is also true).
For 18+ years, I’ve been in the business of delighting customers, but sometimes we (the consultants and operators) forget that we’re also customers, judging from different perspectives.
Other than the obnoxiously loud and dirty Starbucks that’s 10-minutes walking distance from me, there are two other spots that I frequent from time to time.
→ One is a mile away, and I walk there anyway. The menu is expansive, the food is healthy, the seats are comfortable, the staff is genuinely warm, and every 11th drink or food item is free. It costs more, but every part of the experience says: come back.
→ The other is closer. The ambiance is nice, the music is soft, and the coffee and tea are good. But the menu is limited, there’s no loyalty program, and 15 minutes before closing, I was told they were closing before they even knew whether I was staying (just after ordering a drink). What a way to kick someone out.
Same neighborhood. Similar ambiance. Very different reasons to return.
And while you cannot keep me away from those moist croissants and flavored lattes, you can simply remind me why I shouldn’t come back. Right?
Loyalty isn't created by rewards alone. It's created when human capital is converted into relationship capital.
The first coffee shop was building both of those.
→ They knew their products extensively
→ Made excellent recommendations
→ Remembered my preferences
→ Delivered great welcoming service
They created warmth, recognition, and a reason to return. The loyalty card formalized our relationship, but the relationship already existed independently from it (thanks to the great service).
The second shop may have similar human capital. Their employees can make good coffee. The space is equally pleasant and the products are fine.
But the interaction I described creates less relationship capital because as a customer, I felt like a number or a walking pocketbook.
The funny thing is, the loyalty card isn't really why I keep going back. Every eleventh drink being free is nice, but it isn't what makes a one-mile walk feel worth it. It's the combination of atmosphere, service, value and, perhaps most importantly, how the interaction makes me feel.
Customer loyalty is often the visible result of an invisible relationship: the one between a company and its employees.
During my time at Tiffany & Co., I experienced firsthand what happens when a company creates an environment that makes both employees and customers feel valued.
When people have a reason to stay, they have a much better reason to make someone else want to stay, too. A consistent influx dedicated to learning the brand, its services, products and goals. An even more incredible lineup of perks from dedicated shopping days to 24/7 concierge and therapy when you need it to ensure your happiness stayed.
It’s why I endlessly refer to luxury brands, as they are the sole keepers of customer experience by design.
But good intentions aren't enough. Loyalty also depends on what happens behind the scenes.
Clear processes, communication and structure protect both employees and customers from preventable mistakes. Mistakes similar to the shop telling me they were closing without knowing if I was staying.
Good process is the real invisible hospitality.
Because it’s structure doesn't diminish human connection; it creates the very conditions for it to endure.
So when I think about loyalty, I look at it through four lenses: atmosphere, service, core value proposition and human connection.
→ Atmosphere gets you through the door.
→ The core value proposition gives you a reason to be there.
→ Service determines how the experience unfolds.
→ But human connection is what makes you want to come back.
Which brings me back to my two coffee shops. One gives me a loyalty card. The other gives me a reminder that they're closing. One is a mile away. The other is practically next door. And somehow, the farther one keeps earning the walk.
Because loyalty isn't really about rewarding the eleventh visit. It's about creating an experience that makes you want to make the twelfth.
Remember: Sophisticated loyalty programs have very little to do with points.
Trend Forecast
What’s Shaping The World
Tastemaker’s Note → Loyalty is easy to talk about and the hardest to create. Today, employees aren't leaving in droves anymore, they're just quietly watching, and what pulls them back is actually being seen. The loyalty or incentives a company gives are were never really about the program or the paycheck. It’s about being noticed, seen and exerting the human touch in a way that makes you feel good.
Elon's new company is private. These 3 tickers aren't.
The next Apple may already exist. Insider sources say Elon has spent two years building a secret device inside Tesla's facilities — one he claims will be "10x bigger than the largest product in history."
There's just one problem: the company is private, and unless you know Elon personally, you can't buy a single share. That was true until Guardian's research team found three public ticker symbols sitting in the launch supply chain.
Click here to see all 3 tickers, free of charge.
You won't hear these names on CNBC — Wall Street hasn't published a word on the connection. But when the launch hits September 21, that quiet ends.
Some are already calling this the biggest opportunity since AI. For anyone who missed Apple before the iPhone, this may be a second look at that kind of setup.
My favorite loyalty programs and rewards always feel a little indulgent….
If you’re curious, I take mine with a gold amex, some crème fraîche and a spoonful of caviar.
P.S. Like my style (and taste)? Work with me.
