In this episode of the Built By Me Podcast, we're joined by Hans Laroche, one of Canada’s top experts in relationship marketing and loyalty. With 35+ years of experience advising brands like Air Miles, Nespresso, Metro, and Loblaws, Hans shares hard truths and fresh strategies for creating loyalty that actually lasts.

We dig into:

• The evolution of loyalty: From points to personalized experiences
• The biggest mistake brands make when building loyalty programs
• How to use data to create emotional connections
• Why Canadian brands are behind — and how they can catch up
• The future of loyalty: social engagement, mobile-first design, and AI-driven personalization

📌 Chapters:
00:00 – Intro & Guest Welcome
01:45 – The Evolution of Relationship Marketing
03:00 – Common Loyalty Mistakes
05:20 – Emotional Connection Over Points
09:00 – Surprise & Delight: Loyalty That Doesn’t Feel Like Selling
12:30 – Why Seamless Mobile Experience Wins
16:30 – Data-Driven Personalization
20:00 – AI in Loyalty: What You Need to Know
24:30 – Is Storytelling Overrated?
38:23 – The Future of Jobs in AI-Driven Marketing

Brought to you by: DataCandy — the all-in-one loyalty and gift card platform helping brands grow smarter.

🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.