There are a few sneaky tricks that both graze.com and LOVEFILM use to keep their customers even if they have been inclined to wander. In a very cosseting and friendly way, both have a number of steps to their unsubscribe process. Unlike so many obstructive services that make it complicated and clumsy to unsubscribe, these two warmly ask you if you are sure you want to leave, would you not rather take a cheaper price plan or perhaps a one month holiday. These phases of the process are done with care and a level of customer service (being provided virtually) that many a high street retailer would envy.
Lets have a look at the customer interaction model and see what makes it tick and why it makes customers like us stick.
The rating and suggestions functionality. This is a very powerful part of a user experience. If done well, it makes the customer feel like a loved member of the family and their favourite uncle has selected a movie that he is sure you would love to watch or your grandmother has carefully selected a box of health yet delicious treats just for you. Conversly if its done badly, it is alienating and foreign and a damning reflection of the company as a cheesy supermarket check out flashing KitKats and Mars bars at you and everyone else in the vague hope that you give in to cheap temptation.
By being able to rate, recommend or slate a product, the customer is also empowered to engage with the host. The host then uses the customers activity to further refine their preferences and enhance the customer experience. As a result I have now seen all of the movies that Clint Eastwood has ever made as was my original intention but I was also introduced to a non Eastwood movie that somehow I had overlooked, "Once Apon a Time in the West". An epic movie that is now my absolute favourite thanks to a LOVE FILM referral.
Making good use of customer data is vital to the continued success of these companies and doubtless they pour over website statistics and visitor tracking to continually improve the customer journey and visitor conversion rate. Making good use of visitor statistics should not be left to the ground breaking internet entrepreneurial businesses. Any company that has a website can and should use visitor tracking. Google analytics is free and very powerful! I have no hesitation in encouraging any one responsible for their companies marketing activity to get conversant with it and unleash the power of the internet.
Getting a feel for visitor behaviour will enable you to establish which part's of your website are performing well and where you may need to freshen up your message. It is also a good way to track the effectiveness of your direct marketing messages. Tracking your performance month by month will enable you to identify long term trends that if used with a suitable marketing spend matrix could help you to save money on marketing or even better use it where and when it is most productive. Most of these point apply equally to on-line advertising through Pay Per Click but that is another matter.
Returning to the good example of LOVEFILM in recent months they have introduced the facility for members to view entire film online. To a subscriber, this feel like free content. To a movie lover its just heaven. Most of the movies that are available to "watch now" are older more quirky movies that have a cult following. Generally the type of movie that my wife gets annoyed if I try to make her sit through if I want to watch them in the living room with her.
This concept of free content took me back to something I read a few years ago in a Jeffrey Gitomer sales book. Jeffrey says that instead of trying to sell to your customers and prospects every time you see them, rather try and give them something of value. Or something that you have to give and they would value. The underlying truth here is that no one likes to be sold to but everyone like to buy things. If you can arrange things so that your customers come to you for free information, guidance and advice, the likelihood is that they will come to you to buy too. What is more there is a strong possibility they will feel good about it as you are now a vendor they can trust rather than a slick salesman that has liberated a few thousand of their precious pounds. Start thinking about what you can give away for free!
As an example, I would like to highlight the financial comparison websites such as moneysupermarket.com or comparethemeercat.com financial products are a very competitive market and brokers can be a bit dog eat dog and a little sly with their sales tactics. But with these heroes of on-line finance give you their expertise for free, not only do they regularly blog very sound consumer advices, they host financial forums and supply real answers to their customers needs free of charge, added to that they give people the freedom to choose the best solution for their needs and pockets. I never buy my insurance or arrange a credit card anywhere else
This has been my something free and I hope it has been informative. What is more, I hope it has been a special Friday treat for my lovely family of contacts, followers, colleagues and lastly but most importantly me customers.
To find out more about the work that I do visit www.recklessnewmedia.com or connect to me on LinkedIn.
Happy Friday Everybody
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