Fiverr was a huge brand even before its stock became an investors’ fave. With the effects of the global coronavirus crisis – as people are looking to both work from home more, and outsource tasks more – the platform is even more prevalent.
We wanted to put their online communication to our seven commandments for CRM in a post-corona world test.
1. Be Transparent 7/10
“I am immensely proud of the team at Fiverr and what they have achieved in the first quarter, especially under the backdrop of a global pandemic that has impacted the world in the last few months,” said Fiverr Founder and CEO, Micha Kaufman, about the company’s Q1 performance.
“Together, we delivered a number of COVID-19 related initiatives to help our community, introduced Promoted Gigs ahead of schedule, launched full localization in Germany, Spain and France, and our marketing strategy continued to power strong growth with agility and efficiency.”
On the company’s homepage, however, there was no mention of COVID-19 at the time we checked (mid-June). Other brands have been providing some sort of messaging throughout the pandemic – either on service delays or other relevant infos. Fiverr could use that sort of communications to strengthen their relationship with consumers further.
A message to Fiverr- we know you care! Don’t be too shy and show it.
2. Give Discounts 0/10
No discounts on offer. Plain and simple.
In times of crisis, when employment rates are low – discounts, or other promotions such as buy-now, pay-later, would be especially appreciated and remembered by your customers in the future, as you were there for them at this difficult time. It’s hard to argue that this isn’t critical.
For instance, a welcome bonus package is a great CRM tactic that has been proven to work. Perhaps a brand as big as Fiverr could provide a welcome bonus (special discount) for first-time customers. Of course, this should come on Fiverr’s account and not the freelancer doing the job for you.
3. Be Relevant 8/10
According to Fiverr, teaching people new skills is an in-demand area on its freelancer platform amid the pandemic. Rates for lessons depend on the kind of lesson and the teacher’s experience. It can vary from $5 to $100.
Highlighting it is a way for Fiverr to keep up with the new reality as it is relating to its customers and inspiring them on how to keep busy when stuck at home by using their platform.
“More consumers are looking for productive ways to spend their time in lockdown,” according to Fiverr. “If you have an internet connection and a computer, you can earn money teaching a variety of skills you already have.”
It is helpful enough, though? Is Fiverr giving back to society in some way or another? This leads us to our next commandment.
4. Be Helpful 5/10
There’s no particular cause that we’ve noticed Fiverr helping with. No organization they’re donating to either. As far as values go, we couldn’t find one they’re advocating for. Having this is always a nice gesture that your customers can relate to. So, we must deduct points on this one.
To their defense, we did like this inspirational video, called “Making it work from everywhere” made for customers during lockdown. The text on the post reads:
“Working remotely doesn’t mean working alone. As a global community, we’re more connected now than ever. We’re inspired by your resourcefulness, resilience, and dedication to #makingitwork. A special thanks to our community for sharing their experience for this #madeonfiverr video, and for staying home to help fight the spread.
Share your own #makingitwork story with a photo or video.”
Not much support was shown for #BLM or #LGBT+. This is quite disappointing as these are some of the main topics of discussion right now, all around the world. For a platform so heavily reliant on its community, we think it’s missing.
They did invite Miss Black Benetar, a drag queen, for a live IG session though:
5. Personalize 8/10
When choosing a service, there are three personal options to choose from Basic, Standard, and Premium. Each package clearly lists what you’ll get and when you’ll get it, making it very clear as to what’s best for you.
You are also told in advance how many delivery days it takes and how many revisions you’ll receive per project with each freelancer making it easy for you to decide whom to pick.
The ability to post your own request and have sellers approach you makes the whole experience more personal, easy, and engaging.
We were retargeted with Logo Makers immediately when going back to the homepage, after viewing just one seller to do our project:
6. Master User Experience 9/10
Prices are large and visible, making it easy to find a seller in your price range. The fact each seller’s ratings and personal reviews are visible is making the experience smooth too. This allows you to choose the most reliable and responsible person to do the job for you. This is especially so when combined with the above pricing metric – giving you the ability to make the best choice.
We were a bit overwhelmed with the massive amounts of freelancers and kind of got lost as to whom to choose. However, the ability to quickly read about the person made our decision easier:
7. Leverage Social Media 10/10
The social media accounts we checked were spot on.
Instagram
We loved how frontline workers were being acknowledged with beautiful animations on International Nurses Day:
We also liked the following initiative on how to keep busy during the quarantine. It aims to create a sense of community and engagement – precisely what social channels are for.
The text reads: What personal projects have you been working on? Post them with the hashtag #createdinquarantine and tag @fiverr and we may feature them on our channels.
- A few recent posts were mainly business oriented, trying to promote their product. But it was done so nicely (with a stunning video) that we forgive them
- Podcasts are a great way to engage and speak to your customers.
- Lastly, this new virtual gathering is cool and timely as it discusses how to adapt your business to a virtual world.
Overall, Fiverr is getting a 47/70 here (67%). Here’s our 7 Commandments of CRM ranking so far:
- Uniqlo 86%
- Best Buy 78%
- Etsy 76%
- Tommy Hilfiger 70%
- Fiverr 67%
- Patagonia 61%
Watch this space for more brand analyses coming your way.
Meanwhile, check out Tommy Hilfiger’s communications right now, Patagonia: paving their own path, How Etsy is Crafting Their CRM Practices, the brand analysis of the country’s largest electronics retailer, and what we can learn from Uniqlo’s communication efforts.