[geigerat]

Interesting conversation I had with my friends. Out of 20 of us, I'd say 14 had BB's back in 2010. Now there are 3 that have kept our BB's (myself included).

The reason for this thread...One of my friends who has an HTC that fell apart(go figure) was in the middle of having of a conversation about getting a new phone and saying how he was going to get the Iphone 5. After chirping in and saying he should look at the new BB10 because they are going to be amazing, he responded with "My experience was so terrible with my 9810 that I won't even look at it."

I wanted to hear from the forums to see how RIMM can combat this issue. I believe some people think BB10 is just an extension of BB7 instead of a whole new OS which would deter people who have had the bad experience with BB7 (lets be honest BB7 gets the job done but I can understand where these people are coming from). I think RIMM should do a 30 day money back on any BB10 phone. Although this could be costly and risky plan, I think it is the only way to gain back people like my friend who was so turned off by BB7. Why wouldn't you try something if in 30 days it could be free (have to give it back of course)? What are the return policies on different carriers, is it similar to what I have proposed? Or any other bright ideas (Trade in Android 50$ off, upgrade BB7 50$ off, etc.) With how great I think the PB is, i think BB10 is going to be amazing. I just dont want it to go the WebOS route b/c people wont give it a chance. I am curious to hear some out of the box thinking...

[jrohland]

If you are in the US you may have seen the .

[Superfly_FR]

Create the envy :

1. Be new.
2. Be rock solid.
3. Be sexy.
4. Be exclusive.

And the sheep bleats : "Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee".

[itmccb]

1. Carriers usually have 14-30 day return policies and I'm pretty sure RIM has a basic tradeup system as well (they did when I last checked.)
2. Marketing can only get you so far. At some point in the process, you'll actually need a good product. As much as I like RIM, I can't say that, wholistically speaking, they have a product to rival the best the competition has to offer. Of course, between thoughtfully crafted hardware and what we don't know about BB10, this could improve considerably for their handsets, but I don't think they have a chance in the tablet market. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

[theaveragejoe]

Speaking of marketing whatever happen to those guys rim hired from college humor to help them with the younger crowd

[Tre Lawrence]

2. Marketing can only get you so far. At some point in the process, you'll actually need a good product.

Well said. It starts there. Get a good product (great hardware PLUS software PLUS ecosystem).

Then... work on building mindshare. RIM was able to do it before; they can do it again. BlackBerry devices were the first true tech status symbols, IMHO. They created sheep before the iPhone was a gleam in SJ's eye.

Why would one want to own a BlackBerry? Well, give them a reason too. Make sure it can do most of the things that can be done on other platforms just as efficiently. Make sure it can be a workhorse, a mobile gaming center, an entertainment hub, and more. If it takes app bounties to increase perceived functionality, do it. Move to the cloud (I know... easier said than done). Gently highlight security of handsets. Point out durability of hardware.

RIM should make ordinary people platform evangelists. Don't pick the fervent loyalists; make fencers loyalists, and then let them share the love. It's the little things that count, like this: http://forums.crackberry.com/general...-story-730188/

I believe that Apple's biggest advocate is word of mouth. Plenty of people will disagree.

I said it before, I'll say it again: RIM's biggest issue is the ecosystem. Fix that, and the biggest hurdle is crossed. Those ads you see from companies that end with "get our app for your iPhone or Android device" do more for the propagation of those platforms than cool bicycles ever did for RIM.

Could go on and on...

[anthogag]

To attract other users show all the great stuff and clearly show its a brand new OS and brand new BlackBerry experience

The OP's friend with the "bad 9810 experience" probably installed a bad app and had freezing issues

In marketing RIM should show how QNX is used in critical real-time functions

[Bigmelwalter]

The main issue here is just plain advertising the right part of a product. Android does it with apps (AppMarket) & device features, Apple does it with glitz & glam. for those who remember before Apple stepped into the mobile game they weren't promoting MacOS as much but now they have the advertising dollars to pinpoint exact things that they spent alot of $$ on.

As I always tell ppl Apple has never sold great products, they only sell pretty products. From the Macs, Macbooks & iPods they have always sold pretty. they know that ppl will easily fall for pretty. every 1 of their ads show this (for example the Samuel Jackson Siri ad in the US even tho iPhone5 comes out in 3 or 4 months).

BlackBerry has always done what windows has done sold great working products. Might not look the best but the stuff works well point blank. RIMs gonna have to attract the Dwarf kinda ppl you know they love it if it shines. LoL Flaunt a bit RIM but show some more love to the supporters (BB4,5&6) these are the loyalists. This is why PBook came out w/ Bridge RIM was rewarding BB loyalty. BB10 has to be a better looking iPhone then the iPhone. Take away Android & Apps & iPhones pretty looks & they are worthless (and they know this).

Besides in 4 to 5 months the PlayBook will be the best tablet out. Of course with competition from Windows 8
iPad is dead. a straight up Frisbee for my dog

Sent from my BlackBerry 8530 using Tapatalk

[BBPandy]

...One of my friends who has an HTC that fell apart(go figure) was in the middle of having of a conversation about getting a new phone and saying how he was going to get the Iphone 5. After chirping in and saying he should look at the new BB10 because they are going to be amazing, he responded with "My experience was so terrible with my 9810 that I won't even look at it." ...

What I want to know is, did his 9810 fall apart on him durring a call?
What kinda experience could he have had that was so bad it beats a phone falling apart in your hand?

[amazinglygraceless]

Getting back customers that left starts with understanding why they left in the first place.

If it was build quality then make a concerted effort to address that. The best place to start is
touting the reliability of the line. Do a series of ads showing people in careers where one would
NOT think of the BB, say construction, EMS, a busy ER, etc.

If it was image show off real people across every demographic and how the BB works seamlessly
for all of their lives but for the love of God avoid at all costs ads featuring 40-somethings in
business settings. We get it. The BlackBerry is a great business device. What else you got?

If it is the perception that the other platforms offer more, make ads that point out where BB is
better and there are many many areas.

RIM does not need to reinvent the wheel here. They have a stellar product line. What they
lack is a marketing department responsive enough for the task. RIM needs proactive
marketing. And they need it yesterday.

[itmccb]

I don't think RIM has the time or money to go for the average consumer directly. What they need to do is release a feature-packed, productivity-minded phone for the Enterprise market. They can make appealing to the consumer by portraying the average person as a busy, productive member of society in need of a device to keep everything organized (and BB10 as the best platform for the task). More consumer-focused features can trickle in over time.

[Laura Knotek]

I think the key is developing and then marketing an ecosystem. One thing lacking is cloud service. Why choose BlackBerry when it lacks iCloud, SkyDrive or Google Drive? 3rd-party stuff like DropBox is not competitive to those native Apple, Microsoft and Google offerings.

That is just one part of the ecosystem needed. Build a great ecosystem first and then devices that use it. Then market it.

Nowadays most users want easy integration between all of their devices.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

[BergerKing]

To attract other users show all the great stuff and clearly show its a brand new OS and brand new BlackBerry experience

The OP's friend with the "bad 9810 experience" probably installed a bad app and had freezing issues

In marketing RIM should show how QNX is used in critical real-time functions

Not necessarily. I know another member who keeps losing trackpad function on at least 2 9810s so far. I know other BlackBerry devotees at the cusp of chucking it all in frustration. I'm a dual-user, still love the BB, but there are some nice features on the other sides, too.

The main thing they need is a smooth user experience. Otherwise, it'll be a long fight uphill or a short flight off a cliff.

[Bigmelwalter]

I think the key is developing and then marketing an ecosystem. One thing lacking is cloud service. Why choose BlackBerry when it lacks iCloud, SkyDrive or Google Drive? 3rd-party stuff like DropBox is not competitive to those native Apple, Microsoft and Google offerings.

That is just one part of the ecosystem needed. Build a great ecosystem first and then devices that use it. Then market it.

Nowadays most users want easy integration between all of their devices.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

Exactly

Sent from my BlackBerry 8530 using Tapatalk

[Rickroller]

Speaking of marketing whatever happen to those guys rim hired from college humor to help them with the younger crowd

If he was the one who created this, then I know what should have happened to him..

[Bigmelwalter]

Getting back customers that left starts with understanding why they left in the first place.

If it was build quality then make a concerted effort to address that. The best place to start is
touting the reliability of the line. Do a series of ads showing people in careers where one would
NOT think of the BB, say construction, EMS, a busy ER, etc.

If it was image show off real people across every demographic and how the BB works seamlessly
for all of their lives but for the love of God avoid at all costs ads featuring 40-somethings in
business settings. We get it. The BlackBerry is a great business device. What else you got?

If it is the perception that the other platforms offer more, make ads that point out where BB is
better and there are many many areas.

RIM does not need to reinvent the wheel here. They have a stellar product line. What they
lack is a marketing department responsive enough for the task. RIM needs proactive
marketing. And they need it yesterday.

The main reason why they left is because of other brands marketing the right things. RIM has plenty of celebs that already use there products. Why not get them to market BB10 & the new PlayBooks OS? Shoot give them a new phone for doing it. The right attention to Quality is the name of the game here.
imagine if a popular actress/actor or ballplayer rapper/singer advertised for rim ppl would flock back over by the thousands. put bbm back into popular discussions.

Sent from my BlackBerry 8530 using Tapatalk

[Rickroller]

imagine if a popular actress/actor or ballplayer rapper/singer advertised for rim ppl would flock back over by the thousands. put bbm back into popular discussions.

Sent from my BlackBerry 8530 using Tapatalk

Somehow I don't see Drake, Justin Bieber, or Paris Hilton changing the game for RIM..

[Tre Lawrence]

I think it cuts both ways. Do you really want to use the same device Kim Kardashian uses?

When it comes to tech, I think people are swayed more by family, friends and co-workers. I cannot think of any famous person that uses another platform, but I admit I have not been paying attention to that.

I think Apple's strength is its ability to make regular people truly love Apple products, and talk about them. It ain't all about the marketing. They make products that appeal to people, and keep them satisfied. Those same people tell people in their respective circles, and it spreads.

That is something Kim Kardashian cannot do for RIM.

[Tre Lawrence]

Somehow I don't see Drake, Justin Bieber, or Paris Hilton changing the game for RIM..

I think they do the opposite LOL. You really wanna rock the same phone as someone who fights people for Rihanna?

[yeohda]

I think if RIM really wanted to target the consumer market then like some people have said, they need a rock solid product first. I firmly believe BB10 will be that turning point for them but obviously they need to get it into other people's hands. Marketing is all about differentiation from the competitor and having a specifications can message stand out. For me this message should be about the "people who do" concept and also the social networking concept.

A good example of this situation my soon-to-be wife and I are planning our wedding in Bali and the wedding organizer uses a BlackBerry. We keep in touch over BBM, send pics and design concepts to discuss in the group chat and we can also reply emails on the fly if we need. Upcoming meetings food tastings etc can be set in the group calendar so all are in the loop. The tight integration of BBM into our phones (and hopefully my PlayBook) gets planning and organizing done through a social medium that none of the competitors or 3rd party apps can achieve (so far).

I remember they made an ad about the tattoo artist in indonesia and I thought that was quite cool because it highlighted the message quite well

[Bigmelwalter]

I think if RIM really wanted to target the consumer market then like some people have said, they need a rock solid product first. I firmly believe BB10 will be that turning point for them but obviously they need to get it into other people's hands. Marketing is all about differentiation from the competitor and having a specifications can message stand out. For me this message should be about the "people who do" concept and also the social networking concept.



A good example of this situation my soon-to-be wife and I are planning our wedding in Bali and the wedding organizer uses a BlackBerry. We keep in touch over BBM, send pics and design concepts to discuss in the group chat and we can also reply emails on the fly if we need. Upcoming meetings food tastings etc can be set in the group calendar so all are in the loop. The tight integration of BBM into our phones (and hopefully my PlayBook) gets planning and organizing done through a social medium that none of the competitors or 3rd party apps can achieve (so far).



I remember they made an ad about the tattoo artist in indonesia and I thought that was quite cool because it highlighted the message quite well

Yeah that would work too. but much of society is ran by celeb popularity then personal.

Sent from my BlackBerry 8530 using Tapatalk

[amazinglygraceless]

The main reason why they left is because of other brands marketing the right things. RIM has plenty of celebs that already use there products. Why not get them to market BB10 & the new PlayBooks OS? Shoot give them a new phone for doing it. The right attention to Quality is the name of the game here.
imagine if a popular actress/actor or ballplayer rapper/singer advertised for rim ppl would flock back over by the thousands. put bbm back into popular discussions.

RIMs issues are much bigger than celebrity endorsements or lack thereof.

The idea that celebrity advertising would bring back legions of lost BB users will not work.
People are fickle and given RIMs image, it's customer base AND it's target market RIM is
better served by NOT wading into this pool. The potential to alienate people outweigh the
small percentage pickup they would see.

[pantlesspenguin]

A good example of this situation my soon-to-be wife and I are planning our wedding in Bali and the wedding organizer uses a BlackBerry. We keep in touch over BBM, send pics and design concepts to discuss in the group chat and we can also reply emails on the fly if we need. Upcoming meetings food tastings etc can be set in the group calendar so all are in the loop. The tight integration of BBM into our phones (and hopefully my PlayBook) gets planning and organizing done through a social medium that none of the competitors or 3rd party apps can achieve (so far).

I remember they made an ad about the tattoo artist in indonesia and I thought that was quite cool because it highlighted the message quite well

This IS a good example, and congrats by the way! I think effective marketing should show what BB can do that no other phone can do, and this is a great example. I'm also hoping to see lots of marketing revolving the "flow" concept.

[93Aero]

The sad thing is that when I purchased my curve 9360 earlier this year, and my playbook this past April both were purchased by word of mouth and not advertisements.

I love them both, the 1st blackberry commercial I've ever seen are the videos on crackberry. Agreed needs more marketing.

[Bigmelwalter]

RIMs issues are much bigger than celebrity endorsements or lack thereof.



The idea that celebrity advertising would bring back legions of lost BB users will not work.

People are fickle and given RIMs image, it's customer base AND it's target market RIM is

better served by NOT wading into this pool. The potential to alienate people outweigh the

small percentage pickup they would see.

True but lets be for real here most celebs have abit of influence on mass media. Everyone wants something that someone popular has.

Proper Media marketing Period is what RIM needs, whoever/whatever they use to get it done doesnt matter. Just as long as it appears to be cool and entices ppl to have it.

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