Products are seen as either pain killers (solves a problem u are facing and hence a must-have for target audience - If u have a headache, you require a painkiller; solving a functional need) or vitamins (enables u to become stronger to not face problems later and hence not important to use/acquire immediately). Companies love to have their products become painkillers because then they have a quantifiable market to capture.
To make your product a habit forming one, it needs to be both pain killer and vitamin. Eg. Facebook is a pain killer or vitamin? One can live without it, but provides a good benefit to stay connected with friends. (Vitamin). But after having connected with most friends and pages, it now provides me real time updates, pics and videos that it now has become my boredom killer (painkiller, pain being boredom or even feeling of missing out). So most social media platforms aspire to be in this space of being both a vitamin and a painkiller.
Lets see some other product category -shopping apps? Painkiller or Vitamin? Its a painkiller when I have an itch to buy something i need; on other days its forgotten. It doesn't have that vitamin promise to use everyday (like Facebook). Then, what should shopping apps do to make users visit more often with a habit? Send more notifications to tell about more styles to shop, or deals which are ending by the night? No, that would work only a few times and then u will loose these levers if used rampantly. Then?
Become more emotional than transactional. How? Here are few of my thoughts -
1. Become an Enabler; a Guru imparting wisdom they need - If yours is a fashion category, put up educational content on fashion - styling tips, mixing and matching, current trends, look-books. Get even influencers on the platform to impart this category wisdom; a Rajeev Makhani reviewing products on the platform will add to stickiness. Great Content on a shopping app - Firstcry.com becomes your go to place on baby related queries.
2. Become a Friend; who understands 'the consumer' - Personalize the solve your consumer is looking for. Telling me when i need something the most - Suggestions of gifts for my anniversary (7 days before so that I don't miss it), telling me about the new CSK T-shirt or memorabilia that has come (watch history on partner app/shopping history) or book recommendations from my favorite author (from my shopping history/Wishlist) and so on. Not lame personalization like the Diwali catalogue on Diwali.
3. Become a Community; standing for a common cause in the category/audience and solving consumer pain points. A brand who patiently listens to consumer's trials/tribulations in the category. You might get to know some problems which haven't been solved and can open a niche not served yet. You can even co-create with your users to solve and even empowering them. Consumers come forward to contribute to a cause that they relate to. Further, adding to the stickiness of your app. Some of the strongest community apps/brands take part in your journey to become better - Nike+, Redbull.
Pitfalls -
1. Point system building Loyalty - Common knowledge tells that points system is a big driver of stickiness or building habits to the app. But that might be history. Consumer today is more fickle for a brand she can trust than loyal to 25 paisa points. Brands today build benefits in their offerings that alleviates the pain faster - Amazon's faster shipping as part of Prime program is that. Even Prime Video alleviates the pain of boredom; bundled in the program.
2. More things added on the platform to build frequency - Another pitfall in my opinion is adding too many functionalities on the app to make consumer come back for one thing or other; might not be right strategy. This can lead to confusion on the interface vs simplicity that alleviates consumer pain of finding a solve sooner.
What do you think are more drivers of making your app/product both a vitamin and a painkiller? Share your thoughts.
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