AOL Welcome Kits Encourage Loyalty

Challenge:
Generate customer retention among new AOL subscribers through and beyond their free trial period.

Solution:
A direct mail welcome kit was developed and sent to new subscribers to provide information on: 1) how to sign on and use the AOL service and 2) important features and content areas of AOL. Once the subscriber successfully signed on, a series of four informational emails were generated to reinforce AOL features and benefits.

Market research was conducted to assess welcome kit creative concepts and determine best look/feel and positioning. Concepts for kits explored service and promotional positioning, as well as graphic treatments and copy tone. Six kits were tested, with an additional kit created based on respondent feedback, which combined the best elements from research.

Results:
The welcome kit that had been developed based on the best elements from research was the most effective, generating positive trends for both narrowband and broadband subscribers and 90 - 180 day retention lifts of approximately 1.3%. Additional analysis provided insight into subsequent welcome kit iterations that could be targeted to subscribers based on price plan and/or demographics.