A Wren Says

“You could create our next big flavor.” The possibility intrigued me. There were multiple flavors I wished the product came in, so I submitted my answers, hoping to win. I didn’t win. Then I saw the flavors chosen and the open vote to figure out which one would end up on grocery store shelves.

I have no proof that the sweepstakes was anything other than a fun game to drive engagement. But maybe it was a brilliant way to involve customers in idea generation.

Idea generation is the first step of new product development, and there is an incentive for brands to include customers in this phase. Doing so helps brands understand what it is that their customers are looking for and helps them create products with more certainty that their customers would actually want them. It was their idea after all.

In the case of the sweepstakes, it allowed multiple people to submit new flavor ideas. The brand (presumably) has more ideas to choose from and through the voting knows which ideas resonate with the greatest number of people. The customers keep going, motivated by the possibility of a sweepstakes prize.

You don’t have to put on a sweepstakes to get ideas from your customers. (It might even be a bad idea if it attracts people with no real interest in your product.)  It could be as easy as leaving a suggestion box so to speak on your website or in your store or elaborate as designing surveys and focus groups. Whatever you choose to do, just know that getting your customers’ ideas could be a win for you.