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“Summers span decades.

Winters can last a lifetime.

And the struggle for the Iron Throne continues.”

For six seasons, viewers have been taken on a journey filled with intensity, turmoil, and torment constantly wondering just who will be the future occupant of the Iron Throne. Viewers are fascinated and filled with anticipation as each piece of the story unfolds. Monday mornings at the water cooler seem consumed with discussions about each episode for weeks. Everyone has a favorite family, a favorite character, and a favorite scene. The show is so popular that Andy Greenburg, a Forbes staff writer, reported that Game of Thrones was the most pirated show of 2012.

Part of the appeal is the characters, the warring families, and the constant plot twists and turns. However, I have found that the formation of unlikely alliances, the strategy creation, and the reaction to the unknown are equally as compelling. Not to mention, the series acts as a metaphor for real life and business-people behaving in their own perceived self-interest somewhere between good and evil, hoping for success.

In this modern world of business, aggressive practices are commonplace and hostile takeovers are often inevitable. Like Game of Thrones, the line between good and evil is often blurry when it comes to business practices and the desire to win!  Over the next few weeks, I am going to show you how the last six seasons of Game of Thrones has provided adaptable strategy, valuable lessons, and attainable skills for eCommerce success.

Like many who seek the Iron Throne on Game of Thrones, you, as an eCommerce business owner, want success.  So, it is time to join us and begin the journey to maximize your potential on a path to greatness.

Lesson 1: Building Anticipation

 

One of the reasons that Game of Thrones is such a success comes from the anticipation HBO used to fascinate, excite, and draw in audiences. Each year, HBO begins to build anticipation in January with the new season to air in April. Of course, this time we had an extra-long wait for season 7. HBO meticulously puts together an action-packed trailer featuring a combination of menacing dialogue and epic action sequences revealing a glimpse of what is to come. Viewers are enticed and anticipation and excitement builds.

The same marketing technique can be applied to your products. The more excited people are about your products, the more people will want them. Apple does this all the time. Several months before a product launch, Apple starts the ball rolling by planting the idea that product is the “must have” item of the year. In doing so, people get excited, anticipation grows, and when released everyone wants this “must have” product.

Three things result when potential customers get excited about new products:

• Your site generates increased traffic prior to the product launch.
• People start talking about the product before the launch.
• Increased traffic turns into increased conversions which results in sales.

Anticipation for a product can build a sense of urgency in potential customers. When the product is finally launched, they feel as though they have been waiting their entire lives to get their hands on your product. By dropping hints, you will build interest and get people excited, resulting in getting the traffic you want.

Although Game of Thrones is storytelling at its best, HBO uses anticipation throughout their marketing campaigns to ensure no one forgets about the battle for the Iron Throne.  They made viewers a promise and delivered far beyond expectations.

Tune in next time, when we will take a closer look at why paying attention to detail is key to coming out on top.