Internet Marketing and Puppies: what do the two have in common? Everything!

After a brief hiatus, Single Throw is back sharing some Internet Marketing Insights with the world. As we continue to shape and expand our solutions for customers, we look at different marketing obstacles and how they can be turned into opportunities. Today, we’re exploring a business analogy that a few of us at Single Throw - as well as our readers - can totally relate to: training a new puppy!

If you’ve never had a puppy, you’re missing out on one of life’s great learning experiences! While much like having a child, where you are responsible for the care and upbringing throughout their life, a dog’s life is compressed into a much shorter time frame. So all of these little life lessons happen within about 1/10th the time. (Almost sounds like Internet time!) Watching our new 9 week old Labrador, Murphy, reminded me of how the many things we do in business that can be done better, using techniques found in puppy training. Today we’ll examine one of the most important aspects: Consistency.

Puppies crave consistency. It's how they learn. It's how they feel secure. And you know what? Customers also crave consistency. They like the speed that consistency affords them. And the security. So what are some of these consistency “techniques” that we can practice better to make our customers feel more secure when their visiting our website?

Structure: Once you teach a puppy where its water bowl is, don’t move it! They like to know where it is so they can easily go there, get a drink and go about their activities. Same goes for your customers. Your site should also have a consistent structure. Each page should have navigation in the same places. Let them get a drink on their own terms, and be free to come back for more later, without having to be “retained.”

Emotion: A harsh “no” to a puppy has totally different meaning than a high pitched “you’re a GOOD boy.” They learn the words and establish communication through the sound portrayed by your emotion. Change the emotion but not the words and they become confused. Same goes for a customer. The voice your site is written in, sets the tone for the relationship. If your marketing style is to speak in a solid, business-like tone, then maintain that style. If your marketing style is more fun and playful, then carry that through to your website as well. (Note: A customer of ours, New Pig, does an exceptional job with this!)

Response: Puppies love to go out and play. As soon as you pick up their leash, they are ready to go. If you pick up their leash but decide not to take them out, they go crazy. They have been trained to go out when you stand at the door with their leash. Again, consistency is the training. Your customer feels the same way if you neglect to correspond with them in either the way they are accustomed (likely the way you have "trained" them to be) or in the way that you may have noted on your website. Always ensure to be consistent in your responses.

What other ways can you be more consistent with your customers, online and offline? Let us know!