Understanding Free to End User (FTEU) messaging and its influence on consumer decision making!

Consumer decisions have governed how we market and position our products and services for all of time, but as we move into a new era where Covid-19 is no longer a fleeting moment in history, but rather a new way of life, we are forced to look at our customers through a new lens, and understand what really influences their decision making.

Recent research by Google found consumer decisions to be messy and the manner in which they process information is varying and complicated. This messy process does however, present itself as an opportunity for us as marketers to help alleviate any hurdles standing in the way of completing this process and placing our brand as their number 1 option.

Brands have one opportunity in this short decision making process to present their consumers with an opportunity to explore and evaluate their offering and either follow through and purchase or consider other options.

“At a time of disruption and increased uncertainty, consumers need more help than ever exploring and evaluating the many options within the messy middle of the purchasing journey.” 

– Think with google

The Power of Free

Covid-19 has created a financial strain on consumers like never before, and Free to End User (FTEU) messaging has become a way for brands to take the exploration and evaluation of consumer purchasing decisions and make it easy and cost free for consumers to evaluate their options.

Free to End User (FTEU), also known as Reverse-Billed is a mechanism where brands carry the cost of their consumers communicating with them while exploring their product offering. This in turn positions the brand at the top of the list of possible options and increases brand affinity, while all interaction is FREE to the consumer. In terms of mobile marketing, a consumer can engage with a brand while the brand carries all the messaging costs, helping their consumer gain the vital information they need to make a purchasing decision.

FTEU is a marketing tool to be used strategically to eliminate any hurdles consumers might have in engaging with brands and their product offering. FTEU messaging not only achieves this, but a marketing strategy that does not incorporate this into their arsenal of tools may lose out on a financially strapped customer base that places accessibility of brands at the top of their decision making hierarchy.

Read more on Free to End User Messaging.