Why give them away?
Why give them away now?
Well, I suppose "Lesbian Vampire Killers" isn't at the top of most people's wish list. And I can't imagine the server being overloaded with teenagers using their iTunes vouchers from Auntie Gwladys downloading an episode of "Outnumbered".
Apple is a pretty savvy organisation.
They know that the iPod has been the perfect gift - and many of the people who have been given one probably haven't thought of downloading a TV programme or film.
The likelihood is that lots of people will be nervous of downloading films. Maybe it feels too complicated. Maybe they don't trust that a downloaded film will be any good. Maybe they are reluctant to use their bank details to pay for something on the internet.
But with a free download, people are more likely to "try it".
Now, there is an argument that iTunes could have used other methods to get people to try downloading. But would they have been so successful?
If, on the iTunes homepage, there was a option to download a placebo film, "to see how easy it is", people probably wouldn't try it.
If there was a leaflet with every iPod saying, "Start downloading now - it's much easier than you think!", people still probably wouldn't.
But because Apple has offered some good bait, we'll have a go. We'll try it. And you can guarantee that we won't be worrying about whether this is a complicated process. We'll just be thinking of how exciting it is that we are getting something for free. We'll be thinking how cool it is that we are doing our first download. And we'll just be thinking how weird it be to watch a film on a screen the size of a brazil nut!
We are all in business of "selling" energy saving behaviour.
Sometimes it's not enough to give our information and raise awareness. Sometimes we need to forget about giving people an option, and give them an incentive instead. We need to offer some bait - our own version of the free download.
The iTunes comparison is a very strong one. Because above all, the free download encourages us to act in a way that we were skeptical of before. It also encourages us to take action, but disguises the reason why. (Apple want to make money - we want people to save energy.) But this doesn't mean it's a cycnial marketing ploy. At the end of the first download, people will say, "My Gosh! That was easy! I wonder what else they've got."
Personally, I'm still waiting for The Good Life series 3 to become available!
As energy managers, we need to get people to take action - and to make people forget about their skepticism or reluctance.
Carbon Leadership specialises in producing the best bait for the energy users in your organisation.
So get in touch, and we'll start reeling them in! And afterwards, they will say, "My Gosh! That was easy! I wonder what else I could switch off!"
Happy New Year Everyone!
