Email marketing is the backbone of the SUBCARD loyalty programme. It is the channel that delivers SUBWAY a cost-effective way to communicate directly with its registered base. The CRM strategy that drives these email communications is the key tool for driving traffic in store, but also vital for customer retention, as well as retaining the value of their spend.

Even though SUBCARD has evolved to the mobile platform, email remains the most important channel. It is how the value of their traditional card base is nurtured and increased.

But their base is ageing (more than 23,000 customers have been in the programme for six years). Plus, the number of marketing-based emails deployed grows every day.

Therefore the need to build brand loyalty with their customer base is essential for ensuring cut-through. One of the toughest challenges with all email marketing is how to keep it fresh. How do you maintain high open rates and keep engaging customers send after send?

In 2012, SUBCARD sought to reinvigorate its email marketing like never before. It refreshed its creative, increased the frequency of its customer contact with regular monthly statements, rolled out more promotions, worked hard to improve data integrity, and implemented more complex and targeted offers to drive increased value back to the business.

As a result the ROI of the email programme has grown by 10% in 12 months. The email base has grown by over 80,000 in the last year and open rates continue to perform well above industry standard at 34%.

The SUBCARD approach to email marketing is effective and relevant, and overall helped the SUBWAY loyalty programme enjoy its most successful year yet.