Google is trying to get thousands of people every day to switch what software they use at work from the Microsoft Office suite of products to their suite of products. They could be running ads on television to try to convince people to switch their software (the way car companies do), or they could be sending mail to people (the way most political candidates do). Instead, one of their main tools is they are asking their existing users who already believe in Google’s products to spread the word and convince others to do the same.
The page itself is called “Google Apps (Spread the Word)” because the data-obsessed people at Google understand that asking your users to recruit another customer is the cheapest way to get more customers.
There is a lesson here for transit agency leaders.
We need to get more riders. And certainly when tax revenue is declining, the operating budget must be balanced and service cuts is the usual blunt tool used to balance the budget, riders are ready to hear a call to help avoid the service they use by recruiting more riders.
It’s a movement (in Google’s words). Ask your riders to “join the movement” and get more riders.
How much does it cost you? Nothing! No ads. No commercials. Just your website and then your statements as the agency leader at meetings when you are likely to earn media attention.
Then you can put up internal signs on the buses. Put an article in your rider newsletter. Include a slogan on the timetables. Spread the word about the movement to get more riders.
And what are our tools that riders can use to recruit other riders? Good maps and good timetables, easily downloadable and sharable. These are core functions of any agency that should be produced anyway.
Finally, include a story about how if they recruit more riders, they are helping to avoid cuts to their service. That’s the “movement” that you are asking riders to join — the movement of sustaining transit service to strengthen their community that they probably didn’t understand they were already a part of every time they chose to ride.
There are tens of thousands of volunteer salespeople riding the bus every day. Put them to work. Ask them to spread the word.
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