(Note: Taggo as mentioned in the post below is a client)
In my discussions with active Facebook users, almost all of them are a fan or liker of a Facebook page. However, they are finding less reasons to be fans of pages or choose to unlike fan pages because they see no benefits from being a fan.
However, when I ask if the brand could identify you as a fan of their fan page at their stores and reward you because you are a fan, their respond was vivid.
One said it is akin to being VIP shopper of the brand, while one even said that she might convert to the brand even if she prefers the competitors.
Brands are also trying to reward fans but the methodology used is very Web1.0.
Take for instance the Friso Fan Page.
Friso offer fans page with a buy 1 get 1 free promotion. However, the steps needed to receive the promotion looks very old school.
First, the fan has to print out this form and fill in the details. It is quite ironic that the person is a fan but yet he/she still has to fill up these details.
He/she has to remember to take this form to Cold Storage to exchange for the promotion. This mean a dedicated visit to Cold Storage as they are not found in most housing estates in Singapore. Is a free can of milk worth the visit?
The cashier at Cold Storage have to collect the form and hand it over to Friso. Friso would then have to get somebody to data enter the details. This increases the cost as Friso would have to hire somebody to enter the data.
Friso would then have to cut and past the email address on Facebook to identify if this is a fan of the fan page. This is because there is no quick and easy way to identify fans on the fan page, yet.
One of the shortcomings I can see is that those who exchange this coupon might not even be fans of the Friso fan page as they could be receiving copies of this coupon instead of having to download from the fan page.
In its solution and methodology to bring Facebook fan recognition at the point of sale, Taggo has simplified the process. In doing so, fans will have both the push and pull factor to want to join the fan page.
All the brand needs is to sign up with Taggo and Taggo will provide an API code which can be installed into the fan page as an additional tab with the fan promotion side by side.
This app lets the fan choose their preferred Tag and Go card. In Singapore, Taggo uses the EZ-Link card that most Singaporeans use for public transport. Those without the EZ-Link card can purchase Taggo stickers.
Under the EZ-Link card, there is this UID number which all fans need to do is enter into the app.
There are two ways which the brand can identify the fan at the point of sale.
The fastest way is to use a netbook with Internet and a RFID USB card reader. As such, when the fan makes a purchase, the cashier can ask if the person is a fan and to tap his/her EZ-Link card which will identify if he/she is a fan of the fanpage.
The other way is to work with the Point-of-Sale integrators to embed Taggo’s API in to the POS machines. Taggo has a few POS integrators who have integrated the API.
Once the fan is recognised, the cashier can give the fan the discount or the promotion.
At the end of the promotion, the brand will be given a report to show where and when fans make the purchases. I am working with Aneace to see if it is feasible to have a field where the cashier can enter the total amount spend. The POS method immediately captures the expenditure in details.
Brands can also post up posters at the shop to encourage customers to join their Facebook fan page to enjoy the promotion at hand. This way, the brand is able to turn more customers into fans. With more fans on the fan page, it makes for easier and better communication.
This also opens up various forms of promotions for the brand. For example, if you are a restaurant or cafe with a fan page, you could reward your fan by giving them priority seating, or because you are a fan, your table gets a round of drinks on the house.
The mobile netbook implementation also means that you are not bound by the POS. For example, you have a booth at the upcoming F1 race and you want to reward fans, maybe a 1 for 1 offer. The mobility of Taggo allows you to identify and reward fans where-ever the promotion seems fit.
Or your store is facing competition from the store next day and getting more Gen-Y and Gen-X customers. The Facebook promotions with Taggo’s ability to identify and reward your Facebook fans would definitely be a big pull for these fans to go to your shop over your competitors.
With the reports, the brand is able to track the success of the Facebook campaign, not via clickthru or sentiment value, but by actual visits of the fans at the store and by real life purchases.
Should you be interested to find out more about Taggo, please email aaron(at)taggo.me.
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