Case Studies | Marketing | Best Practices | Fanocracy
Like millions of others, I have a “collector gene” (my wife Yukari would call it a disease). I get excited about checking things off lists and, especially, completing a list. I’ve visited 107 countries, all seven continents, and all 50 states; I own every book Seth Godin has written; and I’ve been to 111 Grateful Dead concerts. I saved all the credential badges from the hundreds of events I’ve delivered talks at over more than twenty years.
Organizations can appeal to people like me by gamifying their offerings.
Gamification includes adding elements like collector editions, points, badges, and the like to increase customer engagement. Products and services turn into a game and that helps to sell more and build fans.
How can you gamify your offerings?
Here are a few organizations that I’m a fan of because of gamification. The offerings are different, but the general ideas are similar.
Boston Lindy Hop
Boston Lindy Hop is a dance school in Boston that teaches Lindy Hop, the original swing dance out of Harlem in the 1930s. I’ve taken more than a dozen of the multi-week beginner and intermediate class series.
Boston Lindy Hop has a Starlight Pass program for students who complete the entire series of ten upper-level classes. The required classes have been selected to help dancers acquire a new and broader skill set while continuing to refine the fundamental techniques of the dance. An exclusive Boston Lindy Hop jacket (not available anywhere else) is presented to students or instructors who fulfill all the requirements. People sporting these jackets show that they are committed to the dance. I have a personal goal to own my own Boston Lindy Hop jacket within two years. Of course, that means I will be paying for a lot of dance lessons!
HubSpot Academy
HubSpot Academy is a free online learning program from HubSpot that allows people to invest in themselves and their career by staying up to date on the latest trends in digital marketing, sales, customer support, and more. I’ve built several courses for HubSpot Academy.
The gamification aspect comes in with the globally recognized certifications that have been earned by more than 200,000 people so far. People can add a certification badge to their LinkedIn profile to show their employer, or future employer, that they have needed skills.
Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop
Ocean Frontiers Dive Shop specializes in scuba diving Grand Cayman's East End. I visited some years ago with my daughter to complete our PADI scuba diving certification.
Ocean Frontiers knows that many scuba divers want to experience new places. Steve Broadbelt, the owner of Ocean Frontiers realized he was losing customers to other locations, so he created The Green Shorts Challenge. When a diver has visited all 55 dive sites on the East End of Grand Cayman, they are awarded an official pair of Green Shorts (only available by completing the challenge), a gold-plated medal and a bronze plaque in the company’s dock walk of fame. An induction party is hosted at the dive shop and, to create social interest, images of the party are shared on social media. The newly inducted diver frequently shares on their own social channels, building awareness of Ocean Frontiers.
MeUndies subscription underwear
MeUndies sells underwear online and they have many interesting designs.
Members who sign up to receive a new pair of MeUndies each month enjoy discounts, free shipping, and access to exclusive designs available only to members. Imagine that, subscription underpants! How many pairs of undies does somebody need? I certainly have way more than that!
Disclosure: I am a member of the HubSpot board of advisors.
