Going “Craig’s List” on Your Customers
Some estimates put annual revenue north of $100M at Craig's List. There are no display ads or affiliates. No user groups, or social networking strategies. And if you haven't been to Craig's List lately, don't worry... it hasn't changed.
The default online classified ads, CL maintains the desired customer experience by diligently doing very little. The experience on Craig's List is a sea of blue links, but according to web ranking company Alexa, CL is #11 in overall popularity among US web surfers.
As a student of the customer experience, CL gives me exactly what I need—access to buying/selling goods quickly and easily—with nothing that I don't—another account, newsletters, or a lesson in strong password creation. This model doesn't work for every brand, but there are a few takeaways here that do.
Takeaway #1 — Fads don't sell product over the long term. Remember web guestbooks? Splash pages? Hit counters? CL succeeds by avoiding fads; they understand that content wins.
When thinking about the experience for your customers, what wins? Speed of service? Selection/merchandising? Knowledgeable staff? These aren't fads.
Do you know where you rank among your competitors?
Takeaway #2 — Engagement isn't a prerequisite for brand loyalty. Most CL users are actively disengaged. Think about the reasons customers may choose to use a drive-thru, kiosk, or self-service checkout. One motivator could be to limit personal interaction and engagement.
Take Amazon. Bezos and company generally steer clear of web experience fads. But the Amazon experience is much richer (read engaging). Customers choose Amazon in part because of its ability to recommend similar/companion products. Engagement is only a prerequisite if it fits your brand strategy.
Are you pushing engagement on customers who don't want it?
PS — If you read between the lines, you'll think I'm arguing that social media is a fad. I'm not. Social doesn't fit CL because the engagement is too high. The power of social is in conversations that connect people. And CL isn't about conversations.
Contact
Webinars
Case Studies
