Monday, June 10, 2019

How Inviting Are Your Brand's Surveys?

Most brands conduct market research and send surveys to customers, fans, and other stakeholders on a regular basis. There is a simple reason why. We all want a pulse on our products and services. Are we hitting the right target audiences? Do they like what we offer? Do they want to make either minor or major changes? Do they want us to introduce sub-brands? There is something, though, that most brands forget when they distribute survey requests: How do you inform someone that they don't qualify after you already asked?

In today's online and social world, most survey requests are distributed by email or text and contain a link to the actual survey. This is because it's very easy to create a survey using a free or competitively priced online tool, such as, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, SurveyPlanet, etc.

The initial request may even offer something of value to the recipient which makes taking the survey attractive. There may be a guarantee of something of value, or in most cases, there is the possibility of winning a gift card, an Apple product, etc.

The offer of something of value may entice a recipient to spend the time taking the survey, but the likelihood of completing the survey depends on the number of questions, the level of detail, and the amount of time necessary. The likelihood of having a survey of five or fewer questions completed is much higher than a survey of 20 questions and multiple screens.

Anyhow, most brands don't spend the time to consider what happens when a possible survey taker does not qualify to take the survey. This recipient of the "ask" email or text receives the ask and responds with a click to the actual survey. He/she is then asked to answer one qualifier. That question could be "What is your occupation?" or "What is your age?" or "Where do you live?"

If the recipient does not answer the qualifier question correctly, then he/she does not fit into the demographic group that is desired for the survey. So, what happens at this point? Most brands may have a screen that says, "Thank you, but you're not part of the demographic we want to answer our survey." Or, even worse, since the initial ask may have indicated, "Your Opinion Matters," apparently that is not the truth - and your brand may lose a customer or annoy the stakeholder.

This situation presents an amazing opportunity for the brand to talk directly to a customer, fan, or stakeholder BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAVE SOMEONE'S ATTENTION:
1. The brand could introduce a new product or service
2. The brand could share a testimonial
3. The brand could share an interview with the President/CEO
4. The brand launch a new loyalty program
5. The brand could promote a partnership with a community nonprofit

So, remember, surveys should be considered another element of your overall customer experience, and important touchpoint in your customer journey. What did your brand do with its last survey? Chime in and share.

Image Credit: Touchpoints Research.

Friday, June 7, 2019

What's in a Name? Everything!

You've probably seen or heard the latest marketing news about a brand's name change. To be honest, the brand simply shortened its name. No, this news is not about Dunkin, which dropped the word "Donuts" from its name back in September of 2018 (read my blog post by clicking here). The latest news is about a beverage brand: Jamba Juice has become Jamba.

According to the company's press release:

Jamba Juice started out in San Luis Obispo, CA in 1990, as a little juice shop with a big idea: that eating better should be easy. For nearly 30 years, Jamba Juice has led the way in creating and defining the smoothie and juice category as we know it. Now, as the category continues to mature and grow, Jamba Juice is ready to evolve to stay one step ahead.
Starting June 6, Jamba Juice is simplifying its name to ‘Jamba’ with the tagline ‘Smoothies, Juices and Bowls’ to reflect its wider array of offerings. It’s one of many steps to support the brand’s renewed commitment to more balanced ingredients that will include expanded plant-based options and reduced sugar selections among other innovations. The brand is also launching new store designs, improved digital platforms, and upgrading the in-store experience to delight guests, all while offering the convenience of delicious goodness in a cup at an everyday value.

“We’ve been offering balanced ingredients on the go for almost 30 years and must continue to evolve to meet our guests’ ever-changing definition of wellness,” explained Jamba’s President Geoff Henry. “We’re staying true to our heritage as an innovator in the space and refreshing the brand to stay focused on how we can make it easier, better, and faster for guests to live a more active lifestyle. We’re proud to have launched the smoothie and juice category three decades ago and can’t wait to join our guests’ wellness journey for decades to come.”

The press release continued, "Loyal fans have been calling us Jamba for years, but the name change officially kicks off today with updates to our website and menus. Guests can expect to see new packaging and store signage beginning later this summer...The new logo and whirl is a modern interpretation of our classic Jamba logo and features clean, handwritten script, new emerald green brand color and our evolved “Whirl” that draws from the beautiful hues of the fruits and vegetables we use every day."

And to improve the brand's digital footprint, "Jamba is revamping its e-commerce platform to be more responsive, easier to access, and faster than ever. Jamba is releasing an all new mobile-friendly website and mobile app geared to the on-the-go guest who is looking to access Jamba anywhere. The new app, available for iOS and Android, has been built from the ground up to include the customization and personalization features that our guests have been asking for, including order ahead capabilities, nutritional preferences, integrated gift cards, and an all new loyalty program powered by the Punchh platform. Jamba is making our guests’ on-the-go wellness journey even more rewarding than ever before."

What are some key take-aways of this brand transformation? The name emphasis on juice and beverages may be gone, but the possibility for new products looms on the horizon. And it is clear from everything the top leadership team has said that the brand values its fan base and understands its passion for its products. But a name change is still a name change - just think back to the surprise name change by IHOP last year, when it changed its name to IHOB to shift its emphasis from pancakes to hamburgers.

So, what branding lessons can your brand learn from the Jamba name change?

Image Credit: Jamba
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