July 22, 2010
“Worthy Choice” – don’t make consumers feel bad, make it easy for them Recycling is a hot topic these days – not just environmentally, but politically and commercially too. The new coalition government has ruled out the ‘pay-as-you-throw’ charging plans for waste collections proposed by Labour in 2009, in favour of a reward programme. One scheme aimed to discourage waste creation, the other to encourage recycling, carrot or stick – which is better? Whilst there may be a role for legislation and government, my experience of how to change consumer attitude and behaviour is to make ‘the better choice’ so easy and as close to ‘normal life’ that the decision to change feels ‘simple and right’. In other words, make the big impact of a worthy choice the outcome of doing it, not the action of doing it – consumers want easy lives, not tough, moral decisions. A great example of promoting a ‘worthy choice’ instead of a worthy cause is the ‘Simply Drop’ scheme, run by the Royal Mail. For some, it may seem like just another way to recycle your unwanted mobile phone and get a little cash for doing so. But the smart bit is how the scheme fits into consumers’ everyday lives and promotes Royal Mail services at the same time: Royal Mail send you a prepaid envelope (fully biodegradable of course) the envelopes are designed to carry up to 4 items and still fit into a pillar box, so it’s super-easy to post consumers can choose to donate any rebate to 5 charities, spanning health, children and animal care consumer can choose to pick up their rebate as cash from any Post Office consumers can track their package progress just like a valuable parcel using the Royal Mail service Unlike other schemes, Simply Drop envelopes can also be used not just for one-off items like a mobile phone or digital camera, but for printer cartridges too. With over half of the 1.1 billion printer cartridges sold worldwide ending up in landfill, this feature can involve consumers in doing good more regularly. And of course, the Simply Drop brand name itself conveys the idea neatly too – what could be easier than adding a prepaid envelope to the letters you’re posting anyway ? So how is your business promoting itself as a worthy choice? What can you do to make your proposition feel admirable to consumers, something they would like to buy into personally, whilst making that choice slot seamlessly into their existing habits ? http://www.simplydrop.co.uk PS: The principle of ‘Worthy choice’ is one of 4 consumer trends I promoted at a European retailer conference earlier this year. To explore the other 3 trends, download the presentation slides from the Customer Faithful website here (note: 12Mb file - be patient whilst it downloads!)    

“Worthy Choice” – don’t make consumers feel bad, make it easy for them

Recycling is a hot topic these days – not just environmentally, but politically and commercially too.

The new coalition government has ruled out the ‘pay-as-you-throw’ charging plans for waste collections proposed by Labour in 2009, in favour of a reward programme. One scheme aimed to discourage waste creation, the other to encourage recycling, carrot or stick – which is better?

Whilst there may be a role for legislation and government, my experience of how to change consumer attitude and behaviour is to make ‘the better choice’ so easy and as close to ‘normal life’ that the decision to change feels ‘simple and right’.

In other words, make the big impact of a worthy choice the outcome of doing it, not the action of doing it – consumers want easy lives, not tough, moral decisions.

A great example of promoting a ‘worthy choice’ instead of a worthy cause is the ‘Simply Drop’ scheme, run by the Royal Mail. For some, it may seem like just another way to recycle your unwanted mobile phone and get a little cash for doing so.

But the smart bit is how the scheme fits into consumers’ everyday lives and promotes Royal Mail services at the same time:

  • Royal Mail send you a prepaid envelope (fully biodegradable of course)
  • the envelopes are designed to carry up to 4 items and still fit into a pillar box, so it’s super-easy to post
  • consumers can choose to donate any rebate to 5 charities, spanning health, children and animal care
  • consumer can choose to pick up their rebate as cash from any Post Office
  • consumers can track their package progress just like a valuable parcel using the Royal Mail service

Unlike other schemes, Simply Drop envelopes can also be used not just for one-off items like a mobile phone or digital camera, but for printer cartridges too. With over half of the 1.1 billion printer cartridges sold worldwide ending up in landfill, this feature can involve consumers in doing good more regularly.

And of course, the Simply Drop brand name itself conveys the idea neatly too – what could be easier than adding a prepaid envelope to the letters you’re posting anyway ?

So how is your business promoting itself as a worthy choice?

What can you do to make your proposition feel admirable to consumers, something they would like to buy into personally, whilst making that choice slot seamlessly into their existing habits ?

http://www.simplydrop.co.uk

PS: The principle of ‘Worthy choice’ is one of 4 consumer trends I promoted at a European retailer conference earlier this year. To explore the other 3 trends, download the presentation slides from the Customer Faithful website here (note: 12Mb file - be patient whilst it downloads!)


 

 

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