Can Gaming Help Create Loyalty for Printing Enterprises

Gaming has changed the face of the Internet and mobile apps. Users of FourSquare are quickly and enthusiastically becoming “mayors” of their neighborhood coffee shops, restaurants, and convenience stores. Each of the FourSquare’s members can earn badges as they frequently visit these sites and record the fact that they’ve shopped there. Other apps give the user points and prizes for simply driving with the app open during the drive. Other businesses are quickly jumping on board and developing game concepts to add to their business.

Here’s a quick definition of Gamification according to David Carr, game expert. “Gamification simply means applying some of the same techniques that game designers use to engage and motivate users to other sorts of applications.” Now the question is are there ways and methods to use the dynamics of gaming in the print industry.

Some possible ways to use gamification would be to motivate and engage customers or clients. A Print Service Provider with a web to print process could engage with their customers through the creation of a point system and levels that must be achieved in order to gain points and prizes. Perhaps they could earn 100 points when they create a photo book, 5 points for every greeting card or 10 points for every business card. Customers could then “unlock” awards and new levels as they progress.

Also, other ways to motivate them would be to have them upload their favorite pictures that are being processed and have others vote on the best. The winners could be posted on Twitter, Facebook or other social media outlets.

The technology now exits for gamification. The real challenge will be to create a mindset that will engage the customers to play and participate. Sometimes it is a matter of changing the psychology of clients and customers to get them to jump on board with these innovative methods. But in the end, it would be a great way to build customer loyalty and hopefully encourage customers to spend more money on additional personalized printed products. Also sticker paper might be personalized