Tell me when to use it

“Here’s our cool new audio tagging AI thingy. It identifies and labels sounds in real-time without an internet connection.”

“Wow, cool, neat!”

…then they proceed to never use it.

Telling me when to use something is a growth hack. It helps shape a future situation into an organic reminder. 

“Here’s our cool new audio thingy. Use it when you want to know the name of any bird in your garden. Just record their call and it gives you a name.”

Boom! Now I know exactly what it does, why I’d want to use it and when to reach for it. 

First off, I can eliminate myself: “I don’t birdwatch, this ain’t for me.”

If you target the right people then the next time they go birdwatching there’s a chance they’ll remember you if they run into the problem your thing solves.

Deliver on your promise and actually identify the bird without loads of hassle, and people are going to remember you the next time they’re faced with a mystery birdsong. Deliver on your promise again and you’re well on your way to forming a habit.

The natural frequency of your problem is an organic notification system. Don’t blindly reach for notifications and nudges, just tell me when to use it and make sure it solves the problem when I do.