Download - HomeAway Pitch 2010
HomeAwayFebruary 9, 2010
Introductions
Marc Swearengin – GM, Schematic Austin
Nick Worth – President, Schematic
Tony Weber – SVP, Digital Strategy
Chris Polychronopoulos – Senior Art Director
Agenda
• About Schematic
• Our Understanding
• The Acquisition Experience
• Moving Forward
• Q&A
About Schematic
About Schematic
Part of WPP Digital
400 staff with offices in the US, London, and Costa Rica
Large clients including Dell, Target, Bank of America, Nokia, and Microsoft
Strategic, creative, and technical
Known for User Interface/User Experience work
OMMA “Best Site Design and Development” Agency, 2008
What Makes Us Different?
At Schematic, we deliver transformative business results through innovative marketing experiences.
We prioritize innovation because:
•innovative experiences get noticed and encourage engagement better than the same old thing
•innovative production approaches save our clients money
•in a word-of-mouth, link-heavy, blog-heavy world, doing things differently provides tremendous lift to our activities
Successful innovation requires both strategy and craft.
Strategic Insight: Target needs to creatively combine the strong personality of their brand with relevant and convenient shopping opportunities.
Innovation Example One: Target
The Result: A series of technical and creative executions that drive both brand affinity and shopping behavior.
Schematic has been Target’s primary interactive agency since 2006.
Craft: Advertising that includes real-time e-commerce opportunities, driven by a Schematic-authored Web services layer.
Craft: Schematic-produced video content...
Craft: ...that leads to shopping opportunities on-site...
Craft: ...and that can be leveraged in online advertising and onmobile devices.
Strategic Insight: Logitech’s products are better together as part of a digital lifestyle; not just commoditized accessories. Logitech.com, where searches land and where the product research takes place, can build that connection.
Innovation Example Two: Logitech
The Result: A site that communicates the Logitech digital lifestyle within an e-commerce context.
Schematic is Logitech’s digital AOR.
Craft: A site that feels like Flash, but is all HTML, making it a perfect SEO environment, and easier to localize.
Strategic Insight: The best way to market Microsoft is through communications that use their technologies in compelling ways.
Innovation Example Three: Microsoft
The Result: Innovative experiences that show the power of Microsoft technologies in scalable, high-visibility environments.
Microsoft has been a client of Schematic’s for the past six years.
Craft: A way to bring the social positioning of Windows7 to life, using MS technologies.
Our Understanding
HomeAway has struggled to define an acquisition strategy that consistently drives people to subscribe
Renting a home is a personal business
• Homeowners generally have a choice of renting their homes directly (67%) or hiring a professional management firm (45%).
• Owners want to maintain control; of their guests, businesses and homes
• Owners value traveler interaction yet would like to be more efficient and professional in their communications and reservation-related tasks
• Many owners are cost-conscious and wary of expenses which would cut into their revenue.
• 69% are employed in either full-time or part-time positions, and
would value some help in managing the rental process.
• Owners tend to skew older, and the majority are female
As their match-maker, it’s personal for you, too
A subscription to HomeAway is…
Considered
Competitive
Based on Trust
A Long-Term Commitment
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It’s like online dating….
The Flirtation
The flirtation
First of all, you need to get out there
You want to go places where your potential matches might be
And of course, you want to look good while you’re doing it
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Seek out your potential matches
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Seek out your potential matches
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The First Date
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Get to know each other
Now that they’re interested, you want to impress them
You want to take them some place nice. Someplace where you can get to know each other.
Show them how great you are, and to prove it you’re willing to take it slow
Separate Paths on the Home Page
Prominent space on home page for owners
Preview of listings with featured property list
Separate Paths on the Home Page
Free and Instant Registration
Educate Prospective Owners More Effectively
Visual value proposition and outline of steps
Highlight key owner resources
Create an Open-Ended Path to Conversion
Reinforce free registration
Interactive listing tools
Contextual tips
Improve Existing Features and Add New Ones
Dashboard for registered owners
Calls to action for listing
The Courtship
Staying in touch
This is more than just a fling. You want to build a relationship.
That means you need to reach out. Stay in touch. Understand their needs.
Remind them you’re interested. Let them see how good you’d be together.
But listen to them. Be conscious of what they want to hear.
Make them want more.
Draw them closer
Action-oriented
Visually compelling
Personal tone
Creates immediacy
Adapt your message over time
Communication Progression
Day 1 Day 6 Day 14 Day 28 Ongoing Quarterly
Thank You / Take the Final Step
Subscribe Today – Price Message
Subscribe Today – Begin Renting Now Message Act Now:
Listing About to Expire
Targeted Messaging
Re-engage at the right time
Tailor message locally
Give them a reason to come back
The Engagement
Fulfilling on the promise
Once you’re together, you need to keep your relationship fresh
You have to innovate every day to keep the spark alive
Be yourself. Be authentic. Strengthen the relationship by creatively showing what you can offer.
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Renter Confirmation Email
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Mobile Concierge
The Break-Up
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Moving Forward
The Next 4 MonthsSchematic proposes a multi-track approach that includes both short-term solutions and long-term approaches to improve Owner acquisition.
Messaging Strategy FrameworkWe will conduct an assessment of Home Away.com and VRBO.com messaging and develop strategic recommendations on how an evolved messaging approach can aid Owner conversion. This revised messaging approach will focus on site, email and DM vehicles.
Evaluate and Redesign the Owner Conversion Path We will conduct a user experience evaluation on the Home Away and VRBO site.
WireframesBased on the user experience analysis, Schematic will develop wireframes that visualize an optimized user experience.
The Next 4 MonthsUsability TestingWe will conduct Usability testing on the wireframe visuals to elicit feedback from selected members of our target audience.
Creative CompsSchematic will apply the Home Away branding and design the new Owner path pages based on the wireframes.
Functional SpecificationWe will then develop a functional specification document that will provide guidance to the Home Away and VRBO site development teams on how to implement the new Owner path pages.
Email ProgramSchematic will concept, design for and manage an email program consisting of multiple email executions that leverage the evolved messaging approach.
Ongoing ImprovementsAs part of this engagement, Schematic will deliver a set of recommendations for enhancements to the Owner value proposition and product set. In partnership with HomeAway, we would identify and prioritize initiatives which could be scoped out as incremental projects over the next 18 months.
These projects will vary in size and duration based on specific requirements and dependencies. In general each prioritized program will include strategy, feature definition, and integration, with the appropriate combination of support from technical, user-experience, and design resources.
Schematic will work with HomeAway, VRBO, or the appropriate business unit to plan and deliver these efforts on a timeline that aligns with internal needs and market conditions.
Recommended Roadmap
EST. MESSAGING FRAMEWORK
PROJECT #1
PRODUCT BUSINESS STRATEGY
WIREFRAMES/USABILITY AUDIT
PROJECT #2
EMAIL A/B TESTING
MessagingEMAIL DEVELOPMENT / EXECUTION
USER INTERFACE DESIGN / CREATIVE OUTPUT
User Path
Value Add
PROJECT #3
PROJECT #4
WK 15WK 14WK 13WK 12WK 11WK 10WK 9WK 8WK 7WK 6WK 5WK 4WK 3WK 2WK 1
Questions
Thank You