{"id":954,"date":"2020-04-21T13:38:55","date_gmt":"2020-04-21T13:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/?p=954"},"modified":"2021-10-05T11:27:20","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T11:27:20","slug":"incentive-marketing-telecom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Incentive Marketing Dominates Emerging Telecom Markets"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_46 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-69d2774f5f330\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-69d2774f5f330\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-visibility-hide-by-default' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/#A_snapshot_of_trends_to_watch\" title=\"A snapshot of trends to watch\">A snapshot of trends to watch<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/#A_universal_strategy_for_customer_retention\" title=\"A universal strategy for customer retention\">A universal strategy for customer retention<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/#Making_up_for_low_brand_loyalty\" title=\"Making up for low brand loyalty\">Making up for low brand loyalty<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/#Paying-it-forward_cultural_norms\" title=\"Paying-it-forward cultural norms\">Paying-it-forward cultural norms<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/#Gifting_A_national_pastime\" title=\"Gifting: A national pastime\">Gifting: A national pastime<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/#Airtime_credit_and_data_rewards_are_currency\" title=\"Airtime credit and data rewards are currency\">Airtime credit and data rewards are currency<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/#Airtime_incentives_A_long_runway_for_growth\" title=\"Airtime incentives: A long runway for growth\">Airtime incentives: A long runway for growth<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/#Final_thoughts\" title=\"Final thoughts\">Final thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incentive marketing has become a must-have customer engagement strategy for many businesses in developed countries. In markets where cash is no longer king, building non-cash rewards is seen as a no brainer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, in emerging markets, where cash is still very much king, incentive marketing managers are proving that non-cash rewards can still be <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">very<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> successful <em>even<\/em> in the cash-dominated world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts in global and Africa-focused telecom marketing have underscored three reasons for the likelihood of incentive marketing success taking off in the emerging world. Here are the top reasons they report in this article:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#Universal desire to reduce churn through loyalty\">Universal desire to reduce churn through loyalty<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Cultural giving traditions\">Cultural giving traditions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#Use of airtime credit and data as currency\">Use of airtime credit and data as currency<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_snapshot_of_trends_to_watch\"><\/span>A snapshot of trends to watch<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The current popularity of incentive marketing campaigns in the US provides a glimpse of trends to come for emerging markets. This is especially foretelling in an industry as globalized as telecom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>About 84% of US businesses used non-cash rewards<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to \u201crecognize and reward their audiences i<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n the form of award points, gift cards, incentive travel, and merchandise\u201d <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in 2016, up from 74% in 2013, according to a widely cited study by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.incentivefederation.org\/industry-research\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incentive Federation Inc.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The importance of incentive marketing varies greatly depending on the industry, and <\/span><b>telecom program managers favor consumer rewards more than any other. <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a 2019 study conducted by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketingdive.com\/press-release\/20190716-blackhawk-network-study-consumer-reward-programs-deepen-engagement-and-bui-1\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blackhawk Network<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a California-based rewards program company, it was unveiled that <\/span><b>78% of the telecom industry described rewards programs as \u201cvery important\u201d <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for their company. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By comparison, only 49% of program managers for wellness companies reported rewards programs as \u201cvery important.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Telecom veterans will not be surprised by this finding. A large chunk of a telco&#8217;s marketing budget is dedicated to retaining customers, and incentive marketing is a long-established method to boost customer loyalty. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indeed, the universal desire of telecom companies to focus on retention over acquisition is what will continue to drive the wider adoption of incentive marketing strategies in emerging markets.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_universal_strategy_for_customer_retention\"><\/span><a name=\"Universal desire to reduce churn through loyalty\"><\/a>A universal strategy for customer retention<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_955\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-955\" style=\"width: 268px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-955\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/LSmith-Staff-Pic-scaled-e1587472709396-268x300.jpg\" alt=\"lincoln-smith-incentive-marketing-association\" width=\"268\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/LSmith-Staff-Pic-scaled-e1587472709396-268x300.jpg 268w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/LSmith-Staff-Pic-scaled-e1587472709396-915x1024.jpg 915w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/LSmith-Staff-Pic-scaled-e1587472709396-768x859.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/LSmith-Staff-Pic-scaled-e1587472709396-1373x1536.jpg 1373w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/LSmith-Staff-Pic-scaled-e1587472709396-1830x2048.jpg 1830w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/LSmith-Staff-Pic-scaled-e1587472709396.jpg 1984w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 268px) 100vw, 268px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-955\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lincoln Smith, Chief Strategy Officer of HMI Performance Incentives, a Massachusetts-based incentive solutions company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the 2019 Blackhawk study, program manager\u2019s answers diverged by industry when asked what was the desired outcome of their rewards programs. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>The majority of telecom program managers cited \u201ccreating customer loyalty\u201d as their incentive marketing objective<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, whereas managers working in financial, travel and wellness industries were after \u201cattracting new customers\u201d, clearly as part of an acquisition strategy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This divergence in the importance of retention versus acquisition is instructive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIn a market that can be competitive for loyalty, [telecom] customer satisfaction is a key element of a growth strategy as it helps support the retention of the business,\u201d says Lincoln Smith, Chief Strategy Officer of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hmiaward.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HMI Performance Incentives<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a Massachusetts-based incentive solutions company.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of particular note, Smith has noticed innovative ways global telecoms are employing incentives to build loyalty. This includes the novel use of incentive programs for call centers to improve customer service metrics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>\u201cDriving loyalty isn\u2019t necessarily about giving out the most points or the largest gift card<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; it\u2019s about ensuring resellers feel valued, appreciated, and confident in the company, and of course, rewarded for their sale,\u201d observes Smith.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compared with traditional advertising campaigns, incentive marketing is particularly apt at sharing a sense of appreciation between company and consumer.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cLoyalty is about relationships, not response rates,&#8221; says Smith. &#8220;Providing an incentive and reward strategy can provide companies an opportunity to have ongoing engagement.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cInstead of ad-hoc programs and campaigns, engagement can be measured over time and across touchpoints, not just based on a single campaign.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Making_up_for_low_brand_loyalty\"><\/span>Making up for low brand loyalty<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The direct correlation between greater loyalty and stronger customer retention is profoundly important for the global telecom industry. This is especially true in emerging markets like <\/span><b>Africa, where the primary method to generate loyalty is through incentives rather than brand identity.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMany people [in Africa] don\u2019t make use of fixed contracts, as these are perceived as expensive, but prefer to utilize prepaid solutions,\u201d says Debbie Ghillino, Chief Happiness Officer of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theincentivecompany.co.za\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Incentive Company<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a full-service incentive house in South Africa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis means that there is little loyalty to a brand, as airtime can simply be bought from any provider. By encouraging and retaining a customer via rewarding for the frequency of purchase, loyalty is achieved,\u201d adds Ghillino, who is also the Secretary of the Middle East Africa Chapter of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.incentivemarketing.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incentive Marketing Association<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a global organization of providers of incentives, corporate gifts, and related services.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe reward of staying with a network or upgrading of contracts has worked well in the [global] telecoms industry,\u201d she adds. \u201cBy rewarding a customer\u2019s loyalty, the company can retain customers, which is their largest challenge.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paying-it-forward_cultural_norms\"><\/span><a name=\"Cultural giving traditions\"><\/a>Paying-it-forward cultural norms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_956\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-956\" style=\"width: 252px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-956\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Debbie-Ghillino-scaled-e1587473483683-252x300.jpg\" alt=\"debbie-ghillino-incentive-marketing-association\" width=\"252\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Debbie-Ghillino-scaled-e1587473483683-252x300.jpg 252w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Debbie-Ghillino-scaled-e1587473483683-861x1024.jpg 861w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Debbie-Ghillino-scaled-e1587473483683-768x914.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Debbie-Ghillino-scaled-e1587473483683-1291x1536.jpg 1291w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Debbie-Ghillino-scaled-e1587473483683-1722x2048.jpg 1722w, https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Debbie-Ghillino-scaled-e1587473483683.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 252px) 100vw, 252px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-956\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Debbie Ghillino, Chief Happiness Officer of The Incentive Company, a full-service incentive house in South Africa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In emerging markets, cultural giving traditions have established avenues for incentive marketing programs to grow. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, in the Philippines or Nigeria, many millions are already supported financially by family members working abroad through remittances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The technology is also already there. In Africa, vast populations have leapfrogged landline communications to become avid mobile and smartphone users, with a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/global\/2018\/10\/09\/majorities-in-sub-saharan-africa-own-mobile-phones-but-smartphone-adoption-is-modest\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2018 Pew Research study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> revealing that <\/span><b>mobile penetration is between 75% and 91% in six major sub-Saharan African countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet, many people remain largely outside of the banking system; it is estimated that about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/francoisbotha\/2019\/04\/02\/why-africa-has-the-ability-to-leapfrog-the-rest-of-the-world-with-innovation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">66%of sub-Saharan Africans are still considered \u201cunbanked.\u201d<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consequently, the mobile revolution has made it easier to send gifts across the continent. These days, technology has brought young urban professionals closer to older relatives living in remote villages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gifting_A_national_pastime\"><\/span>Gifting: A national pastime<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In cultures where gifting family and community members come\u00a0naturally, incentive marketing managers have discovered fertile ground for growth. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><b>In Africa specifically, paying it forward is a national pastime <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2013 the family culture and spirit of helping those close to you and in your community is of vital importance,\u201d observes Ghillino, who is South African.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cA program that benefits not only the customer but also those around them has been enormously successful, Ghillino says. &#8220;For example, being able to nominate a loved one to receive airtime or data after a purchase.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This seems to be only the beginning. The continent could also leapfrog with regards to preference of how their incentive marketing rewards are delivered. Africa\u2019s rapid immersion into a mobile revolution and a vast population of remote peoples makes this all the more likely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the US, about 78% of consumers preferred to receive their rewards and incentives delivered directly to their mobile immediately, according to a 2018 study by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.virtualincentives.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/FutureOfRewardsEbook_2017.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Virtual Incentives<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, whereas 22% said they preferred to receive their rewards and incentives in the mail. One can surmise that very few would choose the non-mobile option if such a survey was conducted in Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Airtime_credit_and_data_rewards_are_currency\"><\/span><a name=\"Use of airtime credit and data as currency\"><\/a>Airtime credit and data rewards are currency<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cash is still very much king in many emerging markets. But that doesn&#8217;t mean there isn\u2019t competition for the throne.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>\u201cIn Africa, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/products\/airtime\">airtime<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/products\/data-bundles\">data<\/a> are a currency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially amongst the poorer parts of the population,\u201d observes Ghillino.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBecause the majority of the populations in the emerging market territories live hand to mouth,&#8221; she adds. &#8220;Having a reward that lets them communicate where they would not otherwise be able to is invaluable.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gifting airtime thus enables very\u00a0personal needs of the consumer in ways other programs cannot. This almost guarantees a strong future for airtime incentives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>\u201cOffering airtime credit is an increasingly popular incentive marketing tool in the emerging world,\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ghillino asserts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cTalking to an individual\u2019s personal needs rather than the benefits of a product will always resonate with a customer. People are more interested in what\u2019s in it for them than what it can do. By addressing this need, especially amongst the population at lower living standards, this question is answered very effectively,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Airtime_incentives_A_long_runway_for_growth\"><\/span>Airtime incentives: A long runway for growth<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trend to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/how-airtime-is-used-as-money\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">use airtime as money<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has been a hot topic since 2013. \u201cThe use of airtime as currency is fueled by the growing ease of sending minutes abroad,\u201d reported The Economist. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indeed, a rise in prepaid minutes being swapped for hard cash or spent in stores has been observed across Africa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If airtime is indeed currency, then the $260 billion global prepaid airtime market has a long runway for growth to meet the demand of the massive <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldbank.org\/en\/news\/press-release\/2019\/04\/08\/record-high-remittances-sent-globally-in-2018\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$529 billion global remittances industry<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reduce the friction for airtime market growth, software developers have at their disposal today a growing inventory of user-friendly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/what-is-a-top-up-api-a-simple-guide-to-understand-it\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mobile top-up APIs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can be easily deployed. In particular, there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/mobile-rewards\">mobile rewards<\/a> API providers that are specifically dedicating resources to roll out airtime incentive APIs across Africa.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, with its mobile top-up API, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/africa-airtime-api\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reloadly has created a new feature that displays local airtime values across several countries in Africa<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including Nigeria and Ghana. This tool allows for tax savings, elimination of FX fees and the ability to localize.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_thoughts\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Final thoughts<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The prevalence of incentive marketing in global telecom is expanding rapidly. Already a dominant component of marketing budgets in the US, incentive marketing programs are set to expand across emerging markets.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Africa, in particular, offers fertile growth opportunities for incentive programs. Despite its cash-based societies, there is a long track record of airtime being used as currency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet, at the heart of any incentive marketing program is the inception of a loyal, evangelical customer. Telecom and auxiliary industries &#8212; far too vulnerable to churn, especially in Africa &#8212; need loyalty-inducing programs more than any other industry. With incentive marketing, program managers have found solutions that seem to check all the boxes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2019, 78% of the telecom industry described incentive rewards programs as \u201cvery important\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":958,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[168],"tags":[172,173,169,171,170],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why Incentive Marketing Dominates Emerging Telecom Markets | Reloadly<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Telecom companies favor incentive marketing more than any other industry. In the emerging world, cultural and economic norms are making rewards a success.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reloadly.com\/blog\/incentive-marketing-telecom\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Incentive Marketing Dominates Emerging Telecom Markets | Reloadly\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Telecom companies favor incentive marketing more than any other industry. 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