Gamification: the hottest marketing trend
- learn how to win new audiences and engage existing customers.
Are customers now less likely to engage fully in the life and activity of your company?
The old myths about the power of pricing, wide product range, good selling location and frequent promotion aren't pulling in as much profit as before. Average customers are no longer responding to "total sale" or "new product launch" or "available everywhere". They are fed up with that. They become fussier.
But what if you could make your clients draw some pleasure from the same old and introduce a mechanism that can subtly provoke them to shop more often? Before you know it, they will get to love your products and start bringing in steadfast long-term proceeds to your company.
It's possible, and we know how to do it!
The solution you need is gamification. It's become one of the hottest trends in marketing right now. But best of all, it's a trend that actually works.
What is gamification, exactly?
"Gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics to engage users in solving problems." says Wikipedia.
But we won't fill your head with boilerplates and definitions: let's look at this simple example.
Imagine you own a pub. You're thinking about selling more beer, but can't get it right. You tried slashing prices and had the 'buy one, get one free' sales promotion, too.
Sales didn't budge.
How can you use gamification in a pub?
You're going to need a waiter and a coin. Rather than entice customers by trying the 'buy one, get one' promotion, challenge your patrons: make them play to win the beer. Rules? Flip a coin. Heads or tails? If the customer wins, they get a beer at no cost. But if the customer loses, they pay full price.
The results? They loved it.
How can gamification improve your business?
The costs of introducing and promoting this game were more or less the same as what you'd spend on promoting the 'buy one, get one free' promotion. The likelihood the customer wins is 50%. You can't cheat the law of large numbers. Statistically, half of the beers the pub poured were free, and the other half were at full price. It's as if you gave customers the second beer free.
It was the customers' response that spoke volumes, though: people began to leave more money at the pub. There were more than twice as many new customers wanting to try their hand and play for the free beer. To tell you more, some folks were more interested in playing than the beer itself. Where the 'buy one, get one' approach didn't bring desired results, gamification surpassed all expectations. It did so because it's fun. Customers are having a great time playing.
So consider gamification as a means for injecting fun into things and actions that aren't usually thought of as entertaining, and engage your customers.
The above is just one example: the seminar is full of inspiring case studies.
Follow the emotions...
If you're thinking of introducing a loyalty program, building up a brand identity or engaging customers in things they were avoiding before, there are two elements to remember about: the narrative and fun. They both underpin the aspect that drives customers: emotions.
The best loyalty programs can engage clients in fun on a cerebral level. Good gamification engages you into wanting to achieve a goal. That's the thing you focus on: doing something. Rewards only come later.
When you know what motivates your customers, you can offer them absorbing gamification that will encourage them to fight for a better status and appreciation in your company. Priority customer service? A lifelong discount on company products and priority unlimited access? What about being personally greeted by the chef in a prestigious restaurant? Customers are willing to do a lot to gain these privileges, and that's why you ought to give them a chance to do it.
