Time for the next article in our series 5 ways to leverage “Analog” SEO (A-SEO) In this post we will be talking about a third “Analog SEO” (A-SEO) strategies that can help you promote traffic to your website or blog
We humans are social creatures, that’s just a fact of nature. We generally care about what other people think and we also care about having something others don’t. We want to be cool, we want to feel special. We want this not just because we want to feel good about ourselves but because it also gives us a sense of “community”. This feeling of “community” is served very well by social media and this is why so many businesses are focusing on Facebook, twitter etc. Creating “community” is a buzz word now in marketing circles. Now community is one thing, but exclusivity is something that is hard to achieve with social media alone. And yet its this sense of exclusivity that can have a profound effect on what us humans desire. Therefore “ASEO” strategy # 3 is to …
Create a Members club.
Now when I say “club” I don’t mean the bashing kind. I mean a forming a group of people centered around a particular interest. This interest should be you, your brand or your product. Now a “club” generally isn’t available to everyone, you have to be admitted. This is what gives people a feeling of “exclusivity” and makes them feel special. Exclusive clubs generally have some special benefits that come from being a member that no-one else has. This “membership strategy” is’nt new. Websites offer membership all the time. The thing is more and more people are used to that. Signing up for something that simply advertises to them all the time doesn’t make people feel special or more them to action. You need to make it deeper than just a glorified online account/newsletter. And that is where the “Analog” or “offline” aspect of this strategy comes in to play.
Here are some ways you can make your users or clients into a “club” that gives them a sense of exclusivity.
The secret powers of the “membership card”
Im all for going digital, but when you cross the divide and give them something physical, something they can touch and see and carry around in their wallet, it has a much stronger emotional response. It makes the club seem more real. This is why a company like Costco still gives its members a physical card rather than just having members state an email or phone number to the clerk when you check out. They even have a “bouncer” at the door to keep out all those “pathetic non-members”. Cards are also more likely to keep your brand “top of mind”, especially if the person is moved to put it in their wallet or purse.
How can you help ensure clients hold on to their card? Have a number on it and then have special gifts or promotions for people that have a specific number or a group of members who have a specific series of numbers on their card. If they throw it out, they might miss out! You don’t have to wait for them to sign up either. Do credit cards wait for you to sign up with them before they mail you a card? No, they simply email it to you an ask you to “activate it”. If you don’t cut up the card and throw it out right away, every time you see it your reminded you should “sign up”. Don’t underestimate the power of the membership card!
Get out the velvet rope and hold “members only” events
This works especially for businesses that have a local focus. Could you have a BBQ, golf-tournament, toy-swap, mini putt tournament etc exclusively for your “club members”? The effects of this can be very powerful. Not only does it make your club more real and exclusive, it also gives your clients and members a chance to connect with each other and even become friends. Do you think if a friendship is forged because of your brand that the loyalty of both members wont be strengthened? Also think of how many will see the event advertised and actually take place. Don’t you think it will pique their curiosity. If there’s one things I think we can all agree on its that people like to have what other people have that they don’t. This ” keeping up with the Jones’ ” effect can be a strong force in favor of your brand.
The sky is the limit!
Special promotions, gifts, contests, all of the usual marketing strategies that come to mind can be implemented along with this strategy. There are so many ways this “club” strategy can be leveraged and made into a powerful tool for creating a “community” around your brand while at the same time marketing your brand desirable to potential customers. Keep checking in, I have a feeling I will be posting more in depth about this “club” strategy in the future!
Stay tuned for another great A-SEO strategy #4 in my next post.
