1 time buyer to lifetime evangelist
If you’re over 30 this might ring some bells…
James moon walkin’ by.
Cereal boxes used to have contests where you could write a letter telling “Trix the Rabbit” (or whoever) why you liked the cereal and they’d send you a prize.
(I still have the Cheerios bowls somewhere.)
Ever thought about why cereal companies did that?
I didn’t until recently.
But now that I know WHY they did…
I’m seeing modern examples of it all over the internet.
And companies are bringing in boat loads of sales because of it.
Now
We can use the same psychology to our advantage too.
It all goes back to cereal.
There are 2 big reasons for these “write in” campaigns.
The first reason can make a copywriter…
…Or anyone working with a partner’s offer…
…Look like a superhero.
Because…
The “Why I like this cereal” responses?
Could be put directly into marketing.
The best sales material is the customer’s own words.
Remember the cereal commercials?
It was mostly kids.
No one was trying to appeal to our parents.
They were saying things US KIDS wanted to hear about the cereal.
Knowing full well we’d tell our parents to buy it.
The 2nd reason to get kids (or anyone) writing in…
…Is right out Cialdini’s book Influence.
If you want someone to put a BIG sign in someone’s yard?
First get them to put a little sign in their yard first.
Getting someone to do something small?
Creates an internal commitment that’s difficult to break.
Cialdini used it to get a bigger commitment later (the large sign).
In the case of the cereal?
The kid who wrote in about how much they like Lucky Charms?
…Way more likely to tell Mom or Dad to pick up another box of Lucky Charms when this one runs out.
It was a 1-2 punch.
Using the audience’s own words to sell to them…
AND
Increased their commitment/loyalty to the brand by getting them to say how much they like it.
Pretty smart, right?
But you’re probably not working with a cereal company…
(I’d love to hear about it if you are.)
So let’s look at how this psychology has been upgraded for the internet.
To sell our customers with their wants and desires…
Increase commitment to our product(s)…
And get other people to talk more about us…
Here are 2 campaigns that got users to not only show how much they loved the product…
…But also caused other people to buy because of it…
Without giving anyone affiliate commissions.