Dating the consumer- the art and design of it

Dating is all about the experience. A perception or imagery that is created to make two people  feel good. The key word here is “FEEL”. The understanding is that if the “FEELING” is sufficiently good, then dating can move into more defined territories with more defined returns on investment.

However, at the moment of dating, there is an investment ( emotional and financial).

The ROI on this can be spreadsheeted under

Cost for dinner/gifts/movie tickets/ weekend getaways etc..

Cost of investing in emotions( gathering the courage to ask someone out for a date, being ready to take a no, obsessing on your clothes and hair and being worried sick about what happens if the conversation runs dry)

The return on this investment can be multifold. It can end in getting a mobile number, sharing a nightcap and a kiss or indulging in mind-blowing sex or a complete washout with no redemption in sight.

Irrespective of the return, the experience factor is critical. Without that, the chances are slim. Luckily, when it comes to dating, people obsess on the experience and not the ROI.

Digital marketing, or digital platforms are also similar. They are more about the overall experience than about metrics, capabilities and key messages. They are more about design and aesthetics than about technological skullduggery. 

If your consumer doesn’t feel good while playing with that new fangled app you have beaten your agency to come up with, then there is low chance of getting him to engage. If your consumer doesn’t enjoy just hanging around the platform you have brought him to, he is not really going to stay there. If your customer does not  feel the “love” he most certainly is not going to share his experience with others. 

It is at this moment that you have metrics, hits, clips, likes and what not, but no action. No sale. No shipping.

Art, design and interface define the journey that you subject your customer to. 

Building an app is easy. Making it look good is tough. Making it feel good is tougher. 

The app with the good design will win. The website with a better design will engage. 

Only then will you have real ROI that matters- beyond the hits and clicks you obsess over on excel sheets. 

Dress your stuff up and think about creating an experience. It’s a date and on digital platforms its ” Always On” .

Now you don’t really want the evening to end early, do you?