Creating consumer-centric experiences and solutions can be "easy" and will help separate the winners from the losers in 2016.
As technology continues to innovate at a pace more rapid than we can implement or wrap our heads around, we continue to be challenged with assessing new changes, seeing around corners, and latching onto a few key initiatives we believe will drive success. One of these recent phenomena occurs at the intersection of experience, design, and technology. Firmly grounded in what Forrester has deemed "the age of the customer," the ability to create consumer-centric experiences while exploring innovative solutions for creating strong bonds, has unlocked unlimited potential that truly drives the bottom line.
While it may seem challenging or confusing to some, harnessing these opportunities is quite E.A.S.Y in theory. Winning at this level is dependent on your ability to master these four mandates.
1. Experience
Experience is king these days. Ask yourself this question: Do your customers find your brand experience engaging, exciting, and enticing?
If you are not obsessing over every single brand experience, you are not just missing out - you are losing. This is not limited to your product either; your app might be great and your website might be fantastic, but how does the customer view your brand?
Great brands like Coca-Cola are finding incredible ways to merge the innovation with experience in subtle but powerful ways, partnering with companies like DanceOn for the recent season of Dance Showdown.
If you are not obsessing over every single brand experience, you are not just missing out - you are losing. This is not limited to your product either; your app might be great and your website might be fantastic, but how does the customer view your brand?
Great brands like Coca-Cola are finding incredible ways to merge the innovation with experience in subtle but powerful ways, partnering with companies like DanceOn for the recent season of Dance Showdown.
2. Addictive ideas
Do you offer addictive ideas that move people to act?
Channel Uber here. Initially, no one needed Uber - it was only after trying it did people realize the app's true potential. Now, many love it so much, that they will even Uber kittens to cuddle with for 15 minute increments.
Channel Uber here. Initially, no one needed Uber - it was only after trying it did people realize the app's true potential. Now, many love it so much, that they will even Uber kittens to cuddle with for 15 minute increments.
Your products or offerings need to have an addictive quality to it. Find this quality and capitalize on it in a fun and innovative way.
Uber lets users hail the most adorable #UberKITTENS' for adoption on #NationalCatDay https://t.co/Jgc0DY7gO9 pic.twitter.com/huxyNPjsHH
— Campaign US (@CampaignLiveUS) October 30, 2015
While Uber continues to display success here, Chipotle has also done this brilliantly with its Cultivating Thought author series.
This campaign has not only added to the Chipotle's addictive quality, but it also brings a taste of culture to hungry consumers too.
3. Solve a simple problem; simply
We’ve all become prey to the Alice in Wonderland "rabbit hole" conundrum.
After setting out to create something, it becomes a myriad of mazes, twists, and turns so complex that sometimes launches completely fail or campaigns never make it live.
"Keep it simple" is a strong mandate we should all live by. Ringly's smart jewelry keeps it simple and fulfills an important need by "filtering the most important messages down to your core group" via one product - a ring. Its success stems from its sensational, yet simple model.
If your efforts are not laser-focused at solving one core problem, you have some work to do.
If your efforts are not laser-focused at solving one core problem, you have some work to do.
4. Yap, yammer, and yell
This mandate is critical. No matter how amazing your brand experience is, how addictive your products are, or how masterfully you can solve problems with ease, if you do not have the infrastructure in place to make it sharable in a powerful and meaningful way, your success will be limited.
Ad blocking, Facebook Instant Ads, and a myriad of other challenges have made it critical to partner with an expert in this area. For example, companies like Spotify, GE, The Dodo, and others have chosen to do this with RebelMouse, a publishing platform that leverages SEO and social discovery to distribute content.
To sum up
No matter what size, shape, or type of company you are involved in, make 2016 the year you master these four E.A.S.Y steps and innovate in a compelling way. Your customers will thank you.
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