Lean Forward Marketing

Saw an interesting article recently on 'Lean Forward Marketing'.

There's a new mobile phone company launching which is doing something a bit different with its approach to customer loyalty. Rather than rewarding people by giving them something back based on how much they use their phone (as per normal loyalty schemes), the company is offering people money off based on their interaction with the brand before they've even used it.

Basically how it works is that customers are encouraged to go onto the website and contribute positive suggestions, ideas, recommend a friend etc to demonstrate their loyalty to the brand and its advocacy. The more you engage positively with the brand in this way, the more money you get off your phone bill.

It's exciting because it moves on from just rewarding people for the amount they spend - as with most loyalty schemes - to rewarding them for their share of voice as a brand advocate. As an idea in itself it's fairly ground-breaking, and really highlights just how much importance is now being put on proactive customer engagement as a marketing tool. (See article)

Narky snippet:
Promoting something on the basis that it's so and so's 'best kept secret' probably means that it's being inefficiently marketed.

Words of wisdom from a salesman

I went to a sales training talk recently (just to see if you can teach an old dog new tricks). Most of it was time-honoured but there were some points that gave food for thought, so here are some of the best reminders:

- as children we are conditioned not to talk to strangers so when a salesperson calls you, your immediate reaction is not to talk to them
- we have 2 ears and 1 mouth, when you're telling you're not selling
- the prospect from hell turns into the customer from hell
- buyers are liars and will swing you along and say anything not to commit
- but you'll always be better off if you stick to the truth
- before you leave the room, always get a commitment to moving on, don't leave it to them to contact you.

On the subject of leaving the room, this is a VERY FUNNY blonde joke. Not sure what the research angle is but it really made me laugh (and I'm blonde). Click here

If you would like to talk about anything to do with qualitative research please contact me for a chat, we're full of ideas for new methods and approaches.

01337 810494
07715 608801
clare@q-mindspace.co.uk