Why have we done so much but the seed users just don’t buy it?

Friends who are engaged in operations may have felt that the most difficult stage of operations is often the seed stage, which is like the saying "Everything is difficult at the beginning". First, we don’t know where to find seed users . Second, once we find them, we don’t know how to retain them and stimulate their activity. Third, seed users cannot exert their due energy.

1. The selection of seed users should be structured

1. Definition of seed users from product perspective and user perspective

If we only stand from the user's perspective and define seed users as: heavy users of the product, willing to participate in experiencing the product, and happy to provide feedback and optimization suggestions for the product, it will easily lead to differences with the definition of seed users from the product's perspective.

It is not difficult to understand with a few examples: for a game product like Candy Crush Saga, its seed user type is acceptable only from the user's perspective. However, for a product like Zaixing that has a user supply and demand relationship, its seed users include two types: knowledge demanders and knowledge suppliers. These two types of users have completely different focuses on product experience. If it is a microblog-type (or learning forum-type) product, it will include more types of users, including experts, celebrities, learners, communicators, and those who just come to use the platform...

If the different definitions of seed users from both the product and user perspectives cannot be taken into account at the same time, the operation of seed users will result in the following situation: if there is a lack of expert users, learning users and dissemination users will be dissatisfied; if there is a lack of star users, bystander users will be dissatisfied; if there is a lack of learning users, expert users will also be dissatisfied.

My definition of seed users is the minimum number of users of different functional types within the product who can work together to make the product run normally (you are welcome to criticize me, haha, I am pretending to be an expert). If all the seed users are not enough to support the basic operation of the product, it means that our definition of seed users is incomplete.

2. Seed user structure and introduction strategy

Since seed users may be classified at multiple functional levels, they must be introduced in a relative order, either from top to bottom or from bottom to top. Let me share a case I have worked on. I once organized a director forum (also known as, let’s not mention it here to avoid suspicion) for the mobile phone industry, which was a combination of online discussions and offline gatherings.

When considering the structure of seed users, there were two options: either to first get a few big directors on board, or to first get a small group of ordinary directors on board. The advantage of getting a big-name director first is that there is a star effect and everyone wants to know him. The disadvantage is that I don’t have any resources to attract them. The advantage of dealing with ordinary directors first is that I am one of them and it is easier to have common topics with them. The disadvantage is that I don’t have any resources to attract them. After weighing the pros and cons, I chose to find some ordinary directors first. Don’t ask me why I didn’t set a target number, because I don’t know either.

After the first batch of seed users are targeted, it goes without saying that they will be introduced. where are they? It's very simple, they are right next to the phones in the marketing and sales departments of various mobile phone companies. I first selected a few companies of moderate size and called the front desk one by one, asking them to transfer to the marketing department. After confirming that the person who answered the phone was the director himself, I explained my purpose. Of course, the rhetoric is still very important, otherwise people will have no interest in knowing me.

After some effort, I finally found three like-minded directors. They thought my idea was very interesting and were willing to work with me to accomplish it (attract seed users to become the founding team). They also urgently wanted to make more connections, so the four of us began to invite more directors. I think all operators know the power of relationship chain introduction when looking for seed users, right? The quality of seed users came quickly and in large numbers. Within a few days, 15 directors were invited, and a few days later, 30 were invited. Then I looked for the top directors and told them that we had 30 directors and we would like to meet him. Do you still need to think about what the big directors will say? They all answered me with excited, thrilling voices, thank you, it’s a pleasure! With the help of several top directors, the number of seed users quickly increased to 100, successfully completing the seed user stage. It is not recommended to have too many seed users, as long as the quality is high. If the product model can be verified, you will have already achieved half the success.

After the recruitment of seed users is completed, the types of seed users should be further subdivided:

• Star users : They work for large companies, have worked on major and shining cases (examples), and are good at sharing experiences.
• Professional users : have three to five years of relevant experience, have practical cases, and can share specific case operation analysis.
• Learning users : Novice users who have been in the industry for less than three years and come here to learn with the bosses.
• Spreading users : They have been in the industry for a while and brag about how many directors they know in the mobile phone industry.
• Users who are just there for the show : They have been in the industry for a while, have certain working abilities, and occasionally say a few words, but they only come for help when they have difficulties.

2. Close maintenance of seed users

1. Maintenance of various types of seed users

When all types of seed users are found, of course, sometimes it is not necessary to search completely by type. In the process of introducing key users, some other types of users will automatically gather (I inexplicably think of Zhihu). The next step is to lead, promote and encourage the seed users to become active and allow the entire product function to slowly operate. The premise of maintaining seed users is that the product functions must be what they urgently need or are really interested in, otherwise you will soon know what it means to be rejected.

It is obvious that different types of users coming to the Director Forum have different demands for product functions, and maintenance should try to meet the needs of all parties. Maintenance of star users: We must hold them in high regard and give them enough respect and attention. First, when they arrive, we should pull them into the seed user operation group, introduce them solemnly, and let the existing seed users show their enthusiasm and admiration together. Secondly, let them compile their own excellent cases and publish them for everyone to learn and admire. Again, be sure to invite people to attend industry gatherings held from time to time.

• Professional user maintenance: from time to time, send them some study cases you have collected, encourage them to write some experience-based articles, recommend them to be published in the mobile phone magazines of the time, and then help them promote the articles, etc.
• Spreading users: You only need to talk to them a few words when you have nothing to do. As for other things, they are more enthusiastic than you.
• Learning user: You can just ignore it. They see me like a dog seeing a bone with meat. Do they still need maintenance?
• Users who just ignore the comments: Just ignore them and try to reply when they occasionally speak.

Regardless of the type of users, a common maintenance method is to invite them to attend irregular director meetings. By meeting each other frequently, it is easier to develop feelings. Everyone can often communicate with each other and exchange ideas on topics such as the difficulties their company is currently facing and the success or failure analysis of a company's marketing activities. This kind of operation will eventually become an emotional operation, and perhaps only those who have done it can understand it.

2. Help seed users grow

When seed users contribute their knowledge and experience to everyone, we cannot always ask for it, but also help them grow together. I recommended some suitable works to mobile phone industry magazines. In fact, the mobile phone magazines at that time did not have such a module for publishing works. I brought a certain amount of high-quality works to convince them to create this module. It really didn't cost me a penny. The magazine even invited me to dinner, saying that I helped them enrich the layout and improve readability. Later, seed users gradually developed the habit of sharing their experiences and cases.

At that time, everyone was in great need of some professional industry reports on the mobile phone market, and I also used my resources to regularly share some industry reports. When you have done what the seed users want to do but cannot do, you become a big pot (brother) and a lunatic (jing) in their eyes, okay? Do we still need to worry that seed users will not buy it? However, it seemed that the overall market operation level of the mobile phone industry did improve at that time, and many seed users told me that their salaries had increased.

3. Self-operation of seed users

When seed users are familiar with and passionate about the product, they will spontaneously spread the word and interact with the product. Later in the Director Forum, not only did everyone spontaneously form a group of thousands of people in the mobile phone industry, but they also formed several groups at a time. From time to time, we would spontaneously have dinner there, and the atmosphere was great. Even if a friend wants to change jobs, he only needs to change his signature to "unemployed" and someone will automatically make an appointment to chat...

After working in operations for so long, is there any period of time that you particularly miss? It’s the sense of accomplishment that users feel when they can operate their own business! Now let me explain the title , "Why have we done so much, but the seed users just won't buy it?" Because in order to make the seed users become loyal fans of the product, it requires hard work in the previous steps. Don't expect users to be totally devoted to the product right from the start. This is disrespectful to the operation partners, okay? !