In the complementary branding world, the name of the game is interfacing product lines. But, what is exactly interfacing products? It is the practice of weaving two (or more!) different products together to create a new product or a combined offering.
Interfacing products, also referred to as integrating products, is a great strategy to add value to the consumer, as well as innovate a stale product line and increase the revenue per consumer. When thinking about interfacing products, you can consider your own product lines, but you can also bring in a complementary brand that fits into your world. This way, you don’t have to do the heavy lifting all by yourself.
A common practice is to interface a product and a service, such as Apple did with their computers and iTunes, or how every Windows computer comes with a Microsoft Office trial or full subscription. Car dealerships are also a good example when they include complementary services such as check-ups and car washes with the purchase of a new vehicle.
The most important part of interfacing different products is to take the time to examine the new offering. What products work well together? How can you bundle them to make them attractive to the consumer? Here are a few options on how to interface products.
Options for Interfacing Product Lines
Product Warranties
Extended warranties are a surprisingly effective way to interface a product with a service. Customers are willing to pay a little extra to secure the additional peace of mind that comes with knowing that your expensive purchase is covered if anything happens. From a business perspective, you want to make sure to consider this strategy for quality products that you believe in.
Gift (or discount) with Purchase
Buy a candle, get 15% off one of our signature totes. Get a free cone when you purchase a combo deal. This is a great strategy to increase the value in the consumer’s eyes (getting more bang for the buck!) as well as moving inventory that needs to go. With this deal, you have to examine the effect of the offer on your bottom line and that the deal is attractive to the consumer. You can also consider this type of promotion to increase revenue during slow times, such as mid-afternoon.
Product and Service
Amazon Echo. The ultimate display of purchasing a product to receive a service. Amazon Echo is just the medium to speak to Alexa, the AI assistant, to get her to do things such as purchase something on Amazon, dim the lights or play your favorite tunes. It’s a product that without a service, becomes useless. Interfacing products also works the other way around, you can include (or bundle) a service with the purchase of a product as a value-add. The possibilities are endless!