How Ooni wins customers by building momentum in the customer's journey...
What does momentum have to do with marketing?
In the context of ecommerce, you might hear people talk about a marketing campaign gaining momentum. But after a couple of interviews this week, momentum came up in a different context…
On the customer’s side. In their journey.
And it is all about pizza…
Justin from New Jersey
Justin had just closed on a new home. He and his fiancé were moving from an apartment into their first house, and Justin knew that meant lifestyle changes were ahead.
First on his list… an Ooni Pizza Oven. He didn’t even wait until they moved and got settled. Being from New Jersey, pizza making is a badge of honor, and he was ready to get started.
Ooni was the first brand of oven that he came across when he started his search. And from the get-go, he was sure that this was what he wanted.
But there was no reason to just buy the first thing he saw, so he shopped around. Looked at what other options there were.
He found another brand that had a model he really liked. He told me about 3 things that this other brand beat out the Ooni.
It had a built-in thermometer
He liked the aesthetic more
It was 100 bucks cheaper
That’s a pretty good list of reasons to go with this other brand. But he didn’t. He still wanted the Ooni.
So.. why?
Ooni had captured his attention early on… and then built momentum.
Both of these options are great ovens. I am sure he would be just as happy with either.
But Ooni kept him curious. Kept him interested.
On their website, he learned about making sauces. He learned about dough. Cooking techniques.
He also joined their subreddit where he found a community of pizza aficionados that were more than happy to share tips and give advice… and delicious looking photos.
Throughout his journey, Ooni wasn’t pushing the sale. Or filling up his inbox with discounts.
Instead they pushed the process of perfecting pizza pies. It built momentum. It made him hungry.
In the end, not only did Ooni win a new customer… it earned them this:
This is a real photo Justin posted on the r/ooni subreddit. His first attempt at a deep dish pizza.
And with that, the momentum continues on to the next pizza fan…
Starting Starter Pizza
Glen and Steph got into the pizza game this year slinging pies at the farmer’s market and catering events.
You can listen to their interview on the podcast, so I won’t go into their full story here.
But momentum came up again…
They started experimenting with sourdough a while back, making all types of breads. They even tried making sourdough noodles… which is apparently as weird as it sounds.
Eventually they landed on making Neapolitan-style pizzas. They liked it so much they decided to turn it into a business… Starter Pizza.
While figuring out the process and logistics of the biz, they needed an oven that was portable. That they could take to the farmer’s market.
They came across Ooni. And just like with Justin, Glen was sure from the get-go that this was the one they wanted.
But he and Steph still went through the whole process of shopping around. Writing down pros and cons. Calling customer service to ask questions.
Even though their attention was captured early on, it still took time before they decided to buy.
And now they have 3 Ooni ovens. Impressing over 150 people each weekend at the farmer’s market… that is momentum that will keep going.
The Point Is…
Many customers often want the first product that catches their attention. After all, it caught their attention for a reason.
Glen and Steph and Justin were no different. They all wanted the pizza oven they first saw, but they did their due diligence before buying.
At each step, the team at Ooni delivered, and that built the momentum that took them over the finish line.
If the content was thin, or customer service was shabby, or just delivered a lack-luster shopping experience… they could have easily been scooped up by another brand.
None of what Ooni did required a thick tech stack or complicated series of emails.
They just understand their customers and what they were looking for. And then put up content that let customers flow through their own journey…
…from a Youtube ad to butternut squash and pesto pizza.
Full interview with Glen and Steph on The Ooni Pizza Episode