Snapchat Lessons: Learning from Changes in Customer Behavior

By: Adam Pierno | 4,286 Reads | 1 Shares

Featured in: Franchise Update Magazine: Issue 3, 2016

%3Cp%3EIf+you%27re+paying+attention+to+media%2C+you+know+that+Snapchat+is+being+crowned+the+new+social+media+%28if+not+total+media%29+darling.+You+may+know+it+as+the+disappearing+messages+app%2C+but+that+is+an+oversimplification+and+overlooks+what+makes+it+so+popular+and+heavily+used.+How+heavily%3F+According+to+Bloomberg%2C+150+million+people+use+the+app+each+day--more+daily+users+than+Twitter%3B+and+comScore+reports+that+60+percent+of+13-+to+34-year-old+smartphone+users+in+the+U.S.+use+the+app.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3ESo+much+has+already+been+written+about+this+trendy+app.+Perhaps+you%27re+interested+in+knowing+%3Cem%3Ewhy%3C%2Fem%3E+people+love+Snapchat+so+much.+Or+maybe+you%27re+a+user+and+want+to+know+how+to+improve+your+own+experience.+Rather+than+a+%22how-to%22+story+about+using+Snapchat+to+promote+your+business%2C+this+column+is+about+understanding+some+key+behaviors+behind+its+usage.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Ch2%3E1%29+Be+in+the+moment%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EUnlike+many+photo+sharing+apps+%28I%27m+looking+at+you%2C+Instagram%29%2C+Snapchat+doesn%27t+allow+for+%22curation.%22+Upon+opening+the+app%2C+users+are+beckoned+to+take+a+photo+or+video+immediately.+There%27s+no+room+for+being+overly+precious.+Snapchat+is+saying%2C+%22Let%27s+focus+on+what%27s+really+happening%2C+right+now.%22+The+immediacy+of+the+snaps+users+see+is+one+thing+that+makes+the+app+so+addictive.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cem%3EHow+does+this+apply+to+your+business%3F%3C%2Fem%3E+Focus+on+the+moment.+Snapchat+is+reminding+us+that+what%27s+actually+%3Cem%3Ehappening%3C%2Fem%3E+is+what%27s+important.+Sure+there+are+still+a+significant+number+of+people+sharing+processed+pictures+of+their+meals+and+events%2C+but+that%27s+not+everything.+The+memory+that+makes+an+impression+is+the+greeting+and+the+conversation+you+had+before+your+oil+change%2C+not+the+45+minutes+you+spent+waiting.+Pay+attention+to+the+moments+you%27re+creating+for+your+customers+with+your+training+and+operations%2C+and+be+sure+your+team+is+staying+in+the+moment+when+engaging+with+customers.%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0D%0A%3Ch2%3E2%29+Use+your+imagination%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EIs+Snapchat+all+about+capturing+the+moment+in+100+percent+journalistic+reality%3F+Thankfully%2C+no.+Users+find+ways+to+%22edit%22+videos+by+shooting+them+in+short%2C+inventive+sequences.+And+they+add+to+their+photos+with+text+and+drawings+to+explain%2C+direct+focus%2C+or+just+have+ridiculous+amounts+of+fun.+People+draw+themselves+into+costumes+or+have+items+%22instantly%22+appear+in+their+videos.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cem%3EHow+does+this+apply+to+your+business%3F%3C%2Fem%3E+We+know+that+past+experience+is+the+driver+for+future+visits.+In+a+study+conducted+by+Santy%2C+57+percent+of+18-+to+34-year-olds+said+they+base+their+next+dining+decision+on+past+experience.+People+don%27t+want+boring.+It+doesn%27t+mean+you+need+to+add+the+fountains+of+the+Bellagio+to+your+business.+It+means+you+have+to+shop+your+store+and+work+with+staff+to+identify+new+ways+to+add+those+%22Wow%22+moments+to+regular+visits.+Be+inventive.+It+could+be+through+a+surprise+item%2C+art+in+the+store%2C+or+other+personal+touches.%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0D%0A%3Ch2%3E3%29+Personal%2C+not+broadcast%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EUnlike+most+social+media+platforms%2C+Snapchat+doesn%27t+display+the+number+of+followers+of+an+account.+And+when+the+app+launched%2C+there+was+no+mass+distribution+system.+As+a+result%2C+snaps+feel+direct%2C+as+if+they+were+created+just+for+the+viewer.+Even+viewing+a+story+created+by+a+popular+user+or+a+brand+feels+more+personal+because+it+is+viewed+directly+by+one+user+at+a+time+on+their+device.+It+creates+a+real+response+from+the+viewer%2C+as+well+as+an+increased+focus+on+the+content.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cul%3E%0D%0A%3Cli%3E%3Cem%3EHow+does+this+apply+to+your+business%3F%3C%2Fem%3E+This+is+simple%2C+but+easily+forgotten.+Think+of+yourself+as+a+customer+somewhere+besides+your+own+business.+How+do+you+like+to+be+treated%3F+Do+you+prefer+mass-produced%2C+one-size-fits-all+service%3F+I+doubt+it.+People+want+to+feel+special%2C+important%2C+or+at+least+worth+good+treatment.+Create+bridges+to+your+customers+through+service+initiatives+or+a+loyalty+program+that+allows+you+to+respond+based+on+what+they+like+%28and+don%27t+like%29+about+your+business.%3C%2Fli%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0D%0A%3Ch2%3EConclusion%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EEvery+new+trend+offers+insights+about+the+way+people+and+behavior+are+changing.+The+key+is+to+allow+yourself+not+to+think+literally+about+the+trend+%28in+this+case+a+piece+of+software%29.+Instead%2C+look+for+similar+and+differing+behaviors+of+your+customers+and+staff--and+change+accordingly.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp+style%3D%22border-top%3A+3px+solid+%23DDDDDD%3B%22%3E%3Cem%3E%3Cstrong%3EAdam+Pierno%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2C+director+of+brand+strategy+and+planning+at+Santy%2C+unearths+Millennial+insights+at+the+convergence+of+media%2C+technology%2C+and+the+marketplace.+These+insights+lead+to+positive+and+revenue-enhancing+change+for+clients.+Contact+him+at+apierno%40santy.com+or+480-710-4243.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E

Published: May 13th, 2017