The Personality of Your Product: Nurturing Growth for Infrequent Products

The Personality of Your Product: Nurturing Growth for Infrequent Products

When it comes to building social products, one crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked is the personality of the product. Your customers need to perceive your app as fun and engaging for it to truly succeed. Fun is a fundamental feeling that must be achieved. Interestingly, the personality of your product depends heavily on the leader of your product team. It's worth taking a moment to reflect on what you think the personality of your product is, and then seeking the opinions of your teammates.

In the realm of product development, the frequency at which users engage with a product plays a significant role in its success. Products that have a natural frequency of more than once per month fall within the "Habit Zone," making it easier to build a recurring habit with users. On the other hand, products that are infrequent, with usage occurring less than quarterly, are in the "Forgettable Zone." This is because users are more likely to forget about infrequent products due to the low frequency of their use.

It is important to note that many modern product and growth strategies have originated in companies with frequent products, such as games and social media platforms. However, infrequent products face unique challenges that require a different approach. This is where the ICED theory, which stands for Infrequency, Control, Engagement, and Distinctiveness, comes into play. The ICED theory offers a mental model that helps address the challenges faced by infrequent products and guides the crafting of a growth-oriented approach.

The degree of infrequency of a product has a direct impact on its recall by customers. The more infrequent the product, the poorer the product recall. This insight informs crucial business decisions, such as monetization strategies and the cost of acquiring traffic. In the case of infrequent products, higher engagement is essential in order to ensure customer loyalty, whether through retention or advocacy. Three factors influence engagement: the complexity of a transaction, the degree of touch with the product, and the predictability of retention.

Reducing the perceived effort required in a transaction can significantly decrease customer churn, as highlighted in the book "The Effortless Experience" by Matthew Dixon, Nick Toman, and Rick DeLisi. By reducing the effort invested, customers are less likely to become disloyal. Additionally, the distinctiveness of a product plays a crucial role in preventing customer acquisition strain. For infrequent products, achieving product-market fit relies heavily on market penetration, as the time gap between transactions is wider compared to frequent products.

Furthermore, the frequency of a product can impact its resilience to economic cycles. Products like WhatsApp and Google Search, which are used frequently, are less affected by macroeconomic factors. However, highly infrequent products tend to have a higher order value, making them more susceptible to macroeconomic fluctuations.

In conclusion, understanding and nurturing the personality of your product is vital for its success. When dealing with infrequent products, the ICED theory provides a valuable framework for growth-oriented strategies. By considering the degree of infrequency, control over the user experience, engagement, and distinctiveness, product teams can make informed decisions and develop effective approaches. To ensure success, remember these three actionable pieces of advice:

• 1. Prioritize engagement: Focus on making transactions as effortless as possible for customers to reduce churn and increase loyalty.

• 2. Be distinctive: Stand out from competitors by offering unique features, experiences, or value propositions.

• 3. Adapt to economic cycles: If your product is highly infrequent, consider diversifying your offerings or finding ways to mitigate the impact of macroeconomic factors.

By keeping these strategies in mind, you can nurture the growth of your infrequent product and create a lasting impact in your market.