Scotts’ great, timely lawn care newsletter, but falls short of convenient-to-use
This morning I received a my Scotts Lawn Care update newsletter. I love this newsletter! Anything to help me out with what to do next with my lawn, which fertilizer to use, how to control weeds during this time of year, etc. is welcomed information. Here is a screen shot of the top half of the newsletter, personalized with my account information, and with a call-to-action on “What to do now”:
Great! The weather’s getting really warm here and I can tell the lawn isn’t growing as quickly as it has been several weeks ago — typically an indicator that it’s time for another feeding. So, I click on the “What to do now” link:
Not good! Scotts is assuming I’m already logged into the site. What’s interesting is that they provide quick links to be able to modify subscription preferences for e-mails without having to login, but they don’t include a way for me to directly link to the “next steps” that already includes my zip code. Since they already sent me an e-mail, they have my account on file with my zip code — they should implement a way for me to link directly to the “what to do next” that applies to my account and zip code.
I enter my zip code and get the following:
Fair enough, a few quick links to suggestions on what to do next. Having already visited their site before and setup an account, I decide to log in so I can get the full details on what’s next in my Soctts Annual Lawn Care Program. After logging in, I click on the Annual Lawn Care Program link:
I have to enter my zip code again — even though I’ve already entered it once AND have logged in. This is a major usability oversight.
The conversion funnel for Scotts should look like this:
- Deliver targeted, personalized e-mail to remind consumer the next feeding for their lawn is due.
- Visit annual planner for their location
- Identify next product needed based on time of year
- Provide store locator information for nearest retailer
Instead, their conversion funnel looks like this:
- Deliver personalized e-mail to remind consumer the next feeding for their lawn is due
- Provide a link to “what to do now”
- Require zip code to be entered (despite linking directly from e-mail or already being logged into the site)
- Show consumer generic page with possible suggestions on their zip code of what’s next
- Link consumer to the annual planner for their location
- Require entering of zip code again (despite having already entered it)
- Require specification of grass type (even if they are already logged into their account and have specified this in a previous session)
- Require specification on where consumer normally shops for Scotts products (even if they are already logged into their account and have specified this in a previous session)
- Identify next product needed based on time of year
9 total steps in the actual process versus 4 steps of what the process could be. Scotts already has all of the information available to them when consumers visit the site, it’s just a matter of streamlining the conversion funnel so the consumer doesn’t have to jump through all of the hoops.
If Scotts is requiring consumers to enter this information every single time they visit the site, then there’s no value-add for registering an account with them. Registering an account should always provide quick access to information you routinely enter on a website.
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