There are different approaches for different products, but in summary there are commonalities. I will first summarize the commonalities and then try to support them with examples.There are four parts to acquiring seed users : selecting users, introducing users, active users, and diverting users. The specific operation process is as follows:1. Clearly define product positioning2. Identify target audiences based on positioning3. Analyze the needs of the audience4. Determine how to meet the needs5. Find where the crowds gather6. Introduce groups through operational measures7. Continue to operate within the group to maintain activity8. Introduce products after going onlineLet’s talk about them one by one below.1. Clarify product positioningThis is the starting point for analyzing all problems, which can ensure that the direction of thinking does not deviate and that you can reach the destination smoothly. In a nutshell, it means using what form to meet what needs of what users in what scenarios. It is easier to understand if it is broken down into four points:1. What form: product form2. What user: target user3. What scenario: demand scenario4. What demand: user demandTaking "Zuoyebang" as an example, the answer is as follows:1. What form: taking a photo with a mobile phone to ask homework questions2. What users: K12 students, from elementary school to high school3. What scenarios: when studying or doing homework4. What needs: difficult questions cannot be answeredTo put it in one sentence, Zuoyebang's positioning is to use mobile phone photography to ask questions to meet the needs of K12 users to solve difficult problems while studying.You can take your own product as an example, answer these four questions, and then connect them into a sentence, which is product positioning. Some products may not be able to answer all 4 questions, but it is acceptable to answer 3.2. Define the audience based on positioningThe target users have been identified in the product positioning, and this step requires giving specific scope and definition.It can be divided into two attributes: explicit and implicit. The explicit attribute is the objective label of the user, which is the user information; the implicit attribute is the label that can classify the user into a certain group of people, reflecting the group attributes.Explicit attributes:age,gender,location, single or not,income, industry,interests and hobbiesAccording to implicit attributes:like to listen to Li Zhi, crazy people looking for others to group order, overseas shopping users,feminists, fansof the movie "Tiny Times",browsing Zhihu,full-time mothers of two-year-old children,Hammer usersgo to the cinema to watch two movies every weekNote: for classification by implicit attributes, standards need to be given based on the specific situation of the population. The above are just examples.These are the criteria for dividing the population, and the method for deriving these criteria relies on in-depth research on the target population. When it comes to user research, don’t blindly trust traditional user research methods such as questionnaires, phone interviews, face-to-face conversations, and collecting feedback in groups. Because your ultimate goal is to understand the characteristics of the crowd, and the above methods are too formal, users are seriously wary, and the samples collected are unreasonable, so the conclusions drawn are not true reflections and there is actually no gain.Ineffective surveys often have one thing in common: when the initiators see the survey conclusions, they always feel that they are the same as their expectations. I thought to myself, “See, that’s what I thought before.” When you feel this way, be careful.Real research should be about learning the industry and integrating into the circle, so as to grasp the characteristics of the crowd. There are many different specific methods, and each person has a different approach. This is also an essential feature of excellent operations.The best way to conduct user research is to chat with users. In four steps:1. Invite users you think are "right" to have dinner and chat with them, and accumulate enough users first. Don't just focus on business-related aspects, but analyze him as a complete person.For example, his personality, body shape, hometown, occupation, marital status, hobbies, values, opinions on sensitive issues, the way he uses the product, etc. These elements can be pieced together to form a complete user and represent a type of person.2. Summarize and determine whether he is the target user. If so, then if there are any other people of the same type as him, you can continue to make appointments to confirm; if not, give up for the time being. The judgments made at this stage may not be accurate, so we must continue to verify them with a skeptical attitude.3. Complete communication with multiple types of users, write down their characteristics one by one by category, and continue communicating and observing. Online and offline communication with users should be combined, because many people behave completely differently online and in real life. Follow his Weibo and Moments like a friend. These are the contents that interest him and can also reflect the characteristics of the user group he belongs to.4. Identify two or three key types and complete the information as the target groups that need to be addressed at the current stage.3. Analyze crowd needsBased on the user groups identified in the previous step, list their needs. Two points to note:1. The user has only one core demand in a certain aspect, but it will be divided into multiple small demands according to the scenario. For example, users who are accustomed to going to the cinema twice a week only need to watch movies. But it can be broken down into several sub-demands, such as movie-watching decisions (which movie to watch), ticket purchasing (where is cheaper, where are the good seats), and emotional resonance (what to watch or write).2. Identify real user needs. I often use food delivery apps to order food on weekdays. Because of the discounts and red envelopes, it is cheaper than going to the restaurant. But for food delivery apps, I am not the target user because I have no need for food delivery, only the need to “save money”. So this year the subsidies for takeout will gradually disappear, and I won’t be able to take advantage of them anymore.After selecting the right target users in the previous step, this step requires insight into and analysis of real user needs, and then listing them one by one. For the movie app, the requirements are listed as follows:
Movie Decision
Select your seat in advance
Save money on tickets
Learn about the movie information before the screening, including genre, starring actors, duration, and background
After the screening, express emotional resonance, such as being moved, angry, happy, etc.
Communicate with the same hobbyists, be a fan of a certain star, make friends offline in the same city
4. Determine how to meet the needsBased on the user needs listed in the previous step, provide solutions that can be implemented through product and operational means. Taking the movie app requirements above as an example, the solutions given are as follows:There may be multiple solutions to each need, which can be achieved through products or operational means. Once this point is clarified, it will be used later when operating seed users.5. Find where people gatherNow, we have entered the stage of introducing seed users. In this step, we must first clarify where these people gather. Once we find them, we can take targeted introduction measures to improve efficiency."Gathering places" mainly refer to online platforms, such as Weibo, Douban, Zhihu, and WeChat Tieba. These are all platforms with large user volumes, and specific methods are needed to find the people you want. For example, Meilishuo looks for experts on Weibo, publishing houses look for authors on Zhihu and Jianshu, and too many people go to Douban to find content contributors. The specific introduction method will be discussed in the next step.O2O products also look at geographical location, such as business district, and are used in local promotions or offline brand activities. But offline conversion is too difficult, with high costs and long cycles, and most importantly, I don’t understand it, so I will only talk about online here.6. Introducing groups through operational measuresThis point talks about how to introduce target seed users from outside the site, which is the focus of this article.Since this article talks about introducing seed users during cold start, it means that the product has not yet been launched, so the introduced users can only be placed in the group first.After introducing seed users into the group, there are two situations: some with godfathers and some without godfathers.1. Have a sugar daddyFor example, products backed by BAT can use their resources and even divert traffic. The specific approach depends on the resource situation. In short, we need to strive for more and better resources, and then find ways to optimize the conversion rate .To do this well, first of all, one needs to have a good ability to optimize all aspects of traffic diversion, and secondly, one needs to fight for resources without any scruples.Generally, people who have godfathers will not read this article, so I won’t go into details.2. No godfatherThis is the case for most companies, that is, they have no internal resources and can only seek users externally.There are two ways of introduction: invitation and recruitment. Invitation comes from "begging", and recruitment comes from "seduction". But from an operational execution perspective, the methods for doing both are the same.The key point is to package a project that attracts users based on the product functions and present it in a form that users are interested in.For example, my movie app is used to write film reviews. Based on this function, I set up a professional movie lover organization named "Zhiying" with the slogan "The warmest movie self-media". It is presented in the form of WeChat group + official account, and specifically invites media people who are capable of contributing high-quality content to join Zhihu. The point that attracts them is the high-end status of this organization and the communication with like-minded movie fans. After the organization is established, I promise to frequently organize online exchanges, offline activities , write film reviews and publish them on my own media, etc.This is a real organization that operates very professionally and with high quality. I just adapted it to make a case study. The invitation is roughly like this.Specific steps to introduce seed users:Step 1: Build an organizationBecause there are no products, a virtual organization is established with systems, entry standards, member rights and daily activities to form a community and inform people that products will be launched in the future.It makes people feel that this is a serious, organized and standardized matter, with a sense of ceremony, and not something done casually, so they will take it more seriously. See the case of "Zhiying" above.Step 2: Plan your eventIn preparation for the next step of introduction, a gimmick is needed to attract the other party to join. After all, if it is just a group, even if it is an organization or a project, there is not enough reason to join.The activity is a gimmick, and there are two ideas:a. Attract with benefits. For example, "Zhiying" organizes a film review competition. You can participate in the selection by sending your submissions to an email address (because the product has not been launched yet). The top three will receive a JD card worth 200 yuan, and the film reviews will be disseminated on the official account platform.b. Attract with privileges. What is communicated to users is that they will be among the first users of this new product after it goes online and will receive several privileges. Using "trying new things" as a gimmick can attract a group of people who are interested in new things and are experts in each field.Perks can be packaged, even if features are not. For example, "green channel privilege, direct communication with officials" also seems like a privilege, and every product can do it in the early stage of launch.Step 3: Communicate one by oneFind out 1-2 platforms where your target users are located, and after research, come up with ways to find users, such as by category, sorting, searching, etc.For example, if you want to find film critics on Weibo, you can find them here in the picture below.For example, if you are looking for operations on Zhihu, you can find it here in the picture below.Then write a short, clear and human invitation copy and distribute it to users one by one. Don’t waste your first sentence. There’s no need to introduce your name because no one cares. After saying hello, quickly get to the point. Briefly tell the other person what they need to do and what they can get. Make sure your sentences are fluent and unambiguous, include all the factors that the other person is concerned about, and try not to ask questions a second time.In addition, the copy can be slightly changed for different users. Don’t think that the users are nothing. The people you are looking for are experts. They must have been invited many times before, and they will be able to tell at a glance from the copy sent to the group.Most importantly, don't get the name wrong! I often receive private messages calling me "Mr. Liu" or something like that. Apparently they were sent to a group and someone forgot to change it.Step 4: Keep reviewingDon’t underestimate this step. There is a lot of room for optimization in the above three steps. More importantly, we encountered many problems during the implementation process. We optimized these problems and tried again to see the specific results.Take copywriting for example. When we were introducing users, we asked two colleagues to use different copywriting to send messages to the same group of people. After trying it for a day, the two people discussed their communication situations, including what users responded to, what they were worried about, what they didn’t understand, and who agreed to join. Then each party learns from the other party's experience and avoids the other party's shortcomings, and then modifies the copy, adjusts the release time, reorganizes the target audience, and so on.Because all these measures are just expectations, the feedback from every small step is particularly important because it is real. Therefore, it is very necessary to review at least once a day.Insert a seed user selected tips:The type of people selected by seed users is also very important. The book "The Tipping Point" mentions that users can be divided into connectors, experts and salesmen. A connector is someone who has a wide network of contacts and is good at socializing ; an expert is someone who is knowledgeable; and a salesperson is someone who has the ability to persuade others. These three types of people have different advantages and very obvious characteristics.In the cold start or product launch phase, what you need most is the role of a contact person and a salesperson.Contact people can use their own connections, maybe just forwarding it in the circle of friends, and they can bring you users without any effort. If you can leverage the enthusiasm of the salesperson or bind their interests, this kind of people can also help you do a lot of things.It is not recommended to find an expert because they are best at finding problems. The product will definitely not be perfect when it is first launched and it will take time to improve. The focus should be on cold starting first.Therefore, if you find 100 people, if more of them are contact persons and salesmen, the value of this group of people will be greater. These two types of people are generally very active on social platforms and have many friends, so you can start by judging from this.7. Re-operation within the group to maintain activityAfter users join the group, they need to manage and be active in the group.1. ManagementAs more people join the group, the management team will be established at the same time. We can quickly find a suitable person and then replace him if he is not suitable.A management team, first of all, needs people who are very supportive of you and who listen to you; this is when your personal charm will be tested; secondly, they need to have time; and then they need to be good at communication, have high emotional intelligence, and be able to withstand pressure.Management team composition:Administrator, you are the "founder" of this group, and the administrator is the "professional manager". In the future you will definitely have to gradually retreat to the second line, and the group will be managed by him, so you have to start helping him build up his prestige and voice.An event planner is responsible for daily event planning. He should be a creative, active and interesting person, and his copywriting must also be strong.The question answerer is the administrator's deputy and right-hand man. The biggest workload in the group is answering questions. Every time a new person comes in, the question answerer is responsible for breaking the ice and solving any questions at any time.2. ActiveThe difficulty of the seed user group is "no product, just chatting". If users feel that there is nothing to do, they will gradually become less active, and even after the product is launched, it will be impossible to convert them.Here are some ways to be active in the group:① Daily topicsThe members of the group are gathered together because of a common attribute, so they must have the same hobbies, which is the most attractive point. You can initiate a topic discussion every day, with one user responsible for selecting topics and sharing. Share your own views first, then raise questions and guide everyone to discuss.This is just like the "check-in" function on the product. It encourages users to say a few words every day, and slowly they will develop a habit and participate every day. In this way, members of the group will gradually become familiar with each other, cultivate a community atmosphere, and more importantly, have a deeper understanding of the product brand.② Functional investigationWhich of the following features do you most want? By guiding users to participate in this kind of survey with a low threshold and adding a few screenshots, you can gradually cultivate users' awareness of the product.Through some guidance or option settings, we should be able to find a way to ensure that the feature with the most votes is in the version that is about to be launched, so that users will feel more involved.③Online activitiesAs mentioned above, the activity being introduced is this one. Based on the core functions of the product, an online activity can be initiated, but it cannot be implemented on the product. Instead, it can be implemented through other forms.For example, in the example above, the core function of the movie app is to write movie reviews. You can initiate a movie review writing activity with prizes and send your submissions to an email address. This can also be achieved.There are also many flexible ways to implement it. QQ group forums, Tieba, and public accounts can all be carried out, and the operation is also convenient.The advantage of online activities is that users are making similar contributions before the product is launched. Once the product is launched, it will be easier for users to contribute and they will have a natural liking for the product.The above three methods can be transformed into various activities. I think half a month is definitely enough. With the assistance of the management team, this can be done even with only one operational person.8. Import products after launchThis step is the finishing touch, directing your seed users to the newly launched product. If all the above seven steps are done well, this step becomes very easy. The normal situation is that users are like hungry birds, opening their mouths to ask you for the download link of your app.Don’t worry, there are still a few things to do:1. Training. After the new product is launched, it is still relatively unfamiliar to users, even though they have seen the UI before. Therefore, we need to constantly answer questions in the group and train them on how to use and operate it.2. Collect feedback. The product can be sent to seed users during the internal testing phase, who can help detect bugs and submit some feedback.3. Activity diversion. When conducting activities for a newly launched product, you can invest some money to guide this group of seed users to start using it quickly and even make large contributions.Activity diversion is the core here, and it is important to note that:①The purpose of the activity needs to be very clear and can directly drive the core data of the product. For example, answering questions (Baidu Knows), posting jobs (Lagou), and accepting orders (Didi).② The user’s benefits need to be very strong and can be increased quickly. There can be financial subsidies, material rewards, or limited privileges. At this time, you can invest some costs because the value of a single seed user is very high.③The operation threshold of the activity is low and convenient. Although the seed users have been operating for a long time, they are still faced with a new product. We need to improve conversions by lowering the operating threshold, landing pages, activity copywriting, etc.The above is the entire process of dealing with seed users. No matter how meticulous I am, this is ultimately just words on paper or theory. Everyone should summarize while practicing, and may have different feelings when reading this article at different times.
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