Paul Dunay is an award-winning B2B marketing expert with more than 20 years’ success in generating demand and creating awareness for leading technology, consumer products, financial services and professional services organizations.
Paul is the global vice president of marketing for Maxymiser a leading web optimization firm, and author of four “Dummies” books: Facebook Marketing for Dummies (Wiley 2009), Social Media and the Contact Center for Dummies (Wiley Custom Publishing 2010), Facebook Advertising for Dummies (Wiley 2010) and Facebook Marketing for Dummies 2nd Edition (Wiley 2011).
His unique approach to marketing has led to recognition of Paul as a BtoB Magazine Top 25 B2B Marketer of the Year for 2010 and 2009 and winner of the DemandGen Award for Utilizing Marketing Automation to Fuel Corporate Growth in 2008. He is also a finalist for the last six years in a row in the Marketing Excellence Awards competition of the Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA), and is a 2010 and 2005 gold award winner in Driving Demand.
Buzz Marketing for Technology, Paul’s blog, has been recognized as a Top 20 Marketing Blog for 2009 and 2008, a Top Blog to Watch for 2009 and 2008, and an Advertising Age Power 150 blog in the “Daily Ranking of Marketing Blogs.”
Paul has shared his marketing thought leadership as a featured speaker for the American Marketing Association, BtoB Magazine, CMO Club, MarketingProfs, Marketing Sherpa, Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), and ITSMA. He has appeared on Fox News, and his articles have been featured in BusinessWeek, The New York Times, BtoB Magazine, MarketingProfs and MarketingSherpa.
Paul holds an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Computer Science from Ithaca College.
Wow, I wonder who was responsible for that brilliant policy? I got a similar letter from Delta Airlines. So I used my points for magazine subscriptions and now I fly Southwest and United.
But, to share a really good customer loyalty story, I’ll tell you about my experience with Amazon. I’m kind of hooked on Amazon because it’s so easy to keep track of things I want to buy and books I want to read (with the wishlist), and I can get nearly everything from one website. I was really ticked off, then, when I ordered a rebate item and didn’t get my rebate, then was told I wouldn’t be getting it for an additional 12 weeks. (Side note: I really have to stop buying rebate items). So I emailed the CEO (I just googled Jeff Bezos) and threatened to stop buying. I’m sure he doesn’t answer his own email, but somebody did, apologized the same day, and I got my refund right after. I was amazed that in such a big company, my one request was handled so quickly.
‘Tis the season: I too received my ‘spend more or be cut off’ threat…er, loyalty letter…from an airline and a hotel chain this week! Paul, perhaps you can counsel these Customer Service Execs that “marketing” and “bullying” are not synonymous. Thanks for the great post!
@ Tracey
thanks for sharing the Good side of loyalty with us
@ Kim
yes it is that season and I just got another email from them giving me double points if I stay for a weekend there – YEAH RIGHT!
On the other hand, perhaps it’s all part of some brilliant ploy by government to boost the economy by releasing all the value locked away in unused points accounts? There must be millions waiting to be spent.
If everyone receiving these letters is instantly going to spend their points, sounds like the cunning plan might be working – so maybe we should feel sorry for the VP of Loyalty fall guy, just doing what’s best for the economy.
A good counter example: when we spoke to the ex CIO of retail bank Egg, he made the point that any supplier brave enough to come in and offer price savings without being asked would be top of his list for budget when the good times roll again.
@ Paul – that is BRILLIANT – LOL
thanks for commenting
Thanks for sharing, Paul. It’s amazing that companies aren’t using the tough times to empower their loyal customers. It would seem that a “Thanks for staying with us in the past year” would have been an appropriate communication — and some incentive to stay there in 2009. When marketing budgets are being cut, all you’ve got are your loyal customers. When you cut them too, there can’t be much left.
I love it…
as marketeers we spend a life time to call for action and usually get no response- 1% conversions are not rare, no matter how easy we make the action (“click here for eternal bliss”…).
But this hotel chain succeeded in pushing you to take action- way beyond any expectation… (going through the hassle of cashing the points, writing an email and a blog post…) way to go!
I have found myself more than once in the same situation- spending valuable time listening to “waiting music” just so I could share my harsh feelings with a service provider (usually a large chain or manufacturer)… way more than I would spend on thanking them or even for acquiring their service. Not to mention survey’s… who has the time for that…
I guess that we always have the time for a good fight! This is the new era of Fight Marketing.
@ Hanah
I love it – Fight Marketing – which was proceeded (in this case) by Push-Comes-to-Shove Marketing!
@Paul @Push-Comes-to-Shove Marketing (PCtS Marketing 🙂 ) @Fight Marketig
– bloggers (and comedians)are sometimes like gangs of angry adolescents in search of a good fight.
For some brands that’s the last thing they’d like to meet in a dark alley…