Let me clear the ground from any doubt: I like Flattr, a lot, and I’m in! Social micropayments, allowing you to easily reward others when you think they deserve it? This is something big, really, a game changer. But … there’s a biggie to be smoothed out somehow before this really can take off for real, which relates to who “really” pays the bill for all this love! What if I could share some love for free?
I’ve been in Flattr since the closed beta: as soon as I’ve read what this was about, I was hooked, really. It’s good stuff, and if it’s not Flattr, it’s someone else, but surely this is here to stay. There’s just this thing I can’t stop thinking of that really wants to get out there, so let me share it (of course I’m positive you went through some or all of this already, and why not, I hope it’s really already in the works).
I like to pay for what I like (and sometimes I do even for what I don’t really like): I buy music online (blush!), go to the teather to see movies, and similar things. I use regularly my credit card and paypal account, and shelling out 20 eur to “start out” in the Flattr utopia, was not an issue at all, I was actually happy about it!
But (a big but) I understand it’s not the same for the average internet user out there: he’s same as me, as he likes music and movies and books and all the human things, but reaching his pockets and committing to 20, 40 or more eur a year? Not his game, not yet.
This is a real pity, because there’s so many things he likes, and he likes as well to tell the world he does, using the like button from Facebook (which comes for free).
And here it came to me … what if he could (and I could too, some) Flattr for free?
What if his love was sponsored by a big brand like Coca Cola or Pepsi or Nike or Samsung or someone else?
Picture this: I buy a Coke can, instead of a free iTunes download, I get a code for 50 cents of Flattr, proudly sponsored by Coca Cola
End of the month, whoever got my clicks sees in his summary report:
Hey, congrats you got 50 eur from people who really wanted to Flattr you and your things
10,25 eur was sponsored by Coke (link to site or initiative)
5,98 eur was sponsored by Nike (link to site or iniative)
6,00 eur was sponsored by Samsung (link to site or initiative)
etc.
There’s lot of win in this: when I flattr something, I have a positive attitude towards it, and usually I’m in a good mood. I flattr a song because I like it, I flattr a cause because I believe in it, etc.
If the money I’m giving out comes from a brand, I’m somehow thankful to this brand, which is allowing me to appreciate (in the real sense of this word) what I want to flattr.
And who receives the flattr, is probably happier than me and even more positive towards the brand (hey, thank you Coca Cola, kind of you, I owe you one!).
Isn’t this is what all the Social Media Marketing investements are trying to achieve? Awareness and good vibes from lots and lots of people that ultimately will turn into loyal and advocating customers? Wouldn’t this be an holy grail for the big brands out there?
Aren’t these the big pocket brands willing to shell out 2 eur for each Apple’s iAd “click and experience” on an iPhone? Even getting 10 percent of that into the Flattr ecosystem would fuel a sky rocketing growth, and make lots of people a bit happier, in general.
Now, dear Flattr, this can be even “nastier” of course, think of it: without doubt, somewhere in your data warehouse you know that Mike, in his 18 / 25 demographic range, male, etc. used his Coca Cola sponsored flattr credits for this, this and that, and you “could” spit back this information to the sponsor, allowing them to know very well what their target group likes … but would this be you, Flattr? (surely there’s someone out there who will follow this path).
So, Flattr, you’re doing great, keep rocking, eventually you’ll really change things, but if you want to really sky rocket your growth and get much more sharing going on, how about giving this one a spin?
All the very best!
