I love reading about choice architecture over at the Nudge blog, I just happen to find a local example.
There are hundreds of lottery kiosks in Saskatchewan. Pretty much every gas station and convenience store offers lottery tickets. You wouldn’t think any of these places where you buy your lottery tickets differentiate at all but I found one.
At Superstore on Rochdale blvd. the lottery kiosk offers a small incentive to come check lottery tickets there. Usually when you check a lottery ticket and it isn’t a winner you throw it in the trash. At the Superstore lottery kiosk you put your name on the back of it and enter a draw for a prize. Doesn’t seem like much does it? But would you rather have no chance at winning the draw or at least a small chance? I know I’d take the latter.
In an industry that offers a commodity (something you can find anywhere for the same price) this lottery kiosk has created an incentive to become a repeat customers. Choice architecture is underrated and growing in importance.
What small incentive you could offer your customers so they’ll want to come back again and again?
How come wine company’s never offer a contest where you could win something on the bottom of a cork? Ok, you’re right, people who buy $50-$100 bottles of wine do not care about whatever it is under the cork, as long as it smells like fine wine. I’m talking about the cheap inexpensive wine, you know the bottles that no one is aging in the cellar, the ones that you buy for the weekend and if they last till Monday you’re having wine with supper.
I see an opportunity here. You could develop a classy contest, partner with the New Yorker or Napa Valley and offer a prize people will talk about around the water cooler.
Creating an incentive for customers to look for your wine at the store can be a powerful tactic. With whatever excuse you come up with as to the reason why wine company’s don’t do this, ask yourself, why? And why couldn’t they? I am open for a discussion.
Photo Credit: Gary Tamin
When you pour sour milk into a glass, it comes out in globs and chunks, not very consistently. When you dabble in one medium and then try a different tactic it is not very consistent, that does not help your brand. People notice consistency.
When your efforts are focused on a certain task over time, by default your competency increases and you create consistency. Your customers or clients have an expectation of your work and you must deliver on that expectation consistently. People notice consistency.
In a world where products and businesses can be developed over night, it can be difficult at times to differentiate the good ones from the bad. Whether you own a small business or are developing your next marketing campaign, keep in mind that consistency over a period of time speaks louder than any chunky one-off sour milk promotion. People don’t like sour milk, but love consistency.
1. Mass inviting friends – C’mon I shouldn’t have to tell you this, but inviting a bunch of people from your area to be your friend because it’s going to benefit you at your new job is just lazy. Once you send them a message about your “new job” that “remove from friends” button just got a lot bigger.
2. 
Did you leave caps lock on? Is it your first time on Facebook? Yes, you want to get our attention, we can see that, but typing in all caps makes it sound like you’re yelling (go on, try reading a message in all caps with a small voice, it feels weird) Most people upon seeing a message in all caps chuckle to themselves then ignore the message.
3. Creating a group or a fan page for the sole purpose of creating a group or a fan page. – If you don’t have a clear idea or goal in mind about why you are starting a Facebook group or fan page then don’t do it (or do it and don’t invite anyone). Nothing is more mind-numbingly obvious that you have no clue how to market to people then inviting me to your fan page to give me updates about your company that I do not care about. Before you create a fan page or group please ask yourself, why?
4. Excessively bothering people who are a part of your group, fan page, attending your event, etc. – If I join your group you’ve obviously peaked my interest in some way. Don’t ruin it for yourself by bombarding me with messages. Plan messages out and have a purpose for even the simplest ones. The best way to get me to leave your group or fan page is to keep bothering me with messages that do not pertain to me. Update all you want, you’ll end up in my news feed, that is fine, but sometimes all it takes is one meaningless message that loses the trust I once had in you, leaving your group never to return.
Did I forget any? Please let me know what YOU think people should never do on Facebook in the comments below.
