SAAS PRODUCT MARKETING MESSAGES

Problem Statement:

Inefficient Communication Workflow: To send a marketing message to Lendio pre-approved businesses, users have to export a list of businesses as a CSV, upload that list to a 3rd party system, and then send the email through their system. This is slow, tedious, and an adoption problem. So the overarching goal/outcome is to introduce that capability within Intelligent Lending, to empower users to engage with their business prospects more efficiently. Users should be able to select businesses, compose a message, and send it out in one go, making the process seamless and efficient.

OBJECTIVES & GOALS

Align Design System

Ensure that designs align with the existing design system, maintaining a cohesive and polished overall look and feel

User-Friendly Interface

Develop an interface that is intuitive and easy to navigate, reducing the learning curve for users

Time Efficiency

Aim to decrease the time users spend on lead selection and message composition, enhancing overall efficiency in their communication tasks

Data Management

Facilitate efficient tracking of outgoing messaging data, ensuring users can easily access and review crucial details as needed

BUSINESS CHALLENGES

Introducing fresh ideas while keeping things consistent

While I want to be innovative, it's important that I ensure new features don't disrupt the familiar look and feel.

Exploring how users will use a new feature.

Without past experiences, we're figuring out what users want and how they behave. The challenge is to understand their needs, making sure the feature fits smoothly into their workflow, improving their overall experience.

PRODUCT USERS

Loan Assistance Representative

The role involves contacting potential clients to discuss loan options and guiding them through the process of securing funding for their business. This includes providing detailed information on loan products, assisting with application procedures, and ensuring a seamless transition to receiving funds.

RESEARCH

What do our users want?

I started my exploration by delving into the activities of our internal representatives within our existing CRM to gain insights into user needs. Through user interviews and recorded observations of workflow executions, it became apparent that there were challenges stemming from inconsistent designs and insufficient data organization for bulk messages sent.

What is the overall vision?

The Vision Type, a Figma reference design accessible to the entire team, served as a guiding beacon for the overall vision of our SAAS product. I frequently referred to it while conceptualizing the customer journey and determining essential features. This practice proved invaluable in maintaining design consistency throughout the process.

Document the pain points users experienced

Documenting the user journey helped me to see what the user expected when sending a bulk message and compare that to the vision type flow. It also highlighted pain points where design created an unexpected step or confused the user, and understand areas where the user would like more insight.

IDEATION

Applying research findings

I focused on creating a seamless and consistent experience for the two different paths to create messaging. By identifying and understanding the pain points highlighted by our internal reps, I was able to think through each step in both scenarios, ensuring clarity, and making adjustments to add important information while removing unnecessary steps.

Create two user flows

Users needed a way to send messages from both the business and the marketing tab
There would be differences between the flows but overall I wanted the experience to feel similar to the user

Filter and bulk select

Users would be able to select all business listed not just visible businesses
For the first version, the user would have two options to filter for specific audiences. We will be able to add more filters as the product grows
The marketing tab would need a simple version of the business table

Confirm before sending

Users would be able to see the message template in detail in the second step
Before sending, users would know if businesses selected could not receive the message
The summary page gives important details including total of emails to be sent

Notify the user

Tooltips help the user know if they are missing a step
A notification is sent to the user once they have sent their messages
There is a confirmation if the user drops out of the experience early

Review what happened

On the marketing tab, the user is able to see an overview of all bulk messages sent
There is an option to view a more detailed report

RESULTS AND NEXT STEPS

Quality Assurance

In this initial version of the project, the primary focus was on creating bulk messaging functionality. However, the designs are strategically crafted to accommodate future iterations, such as the incorporation of SMS and more sophisticated marketing campaigns. As we move forward, user feedback and ongoing assessments will guide us in refining the feature to meet evolving user needs and industry trends. This iterative approach ensures that our design remains flexible and adaptable to the dynamic landscape of messaging solutions.

PERSONAL GROWTH & LEARNING

Consistent designs

Throughout the project, a key takeaway was the importance of maintaining a consistent design approach, allowing for the creation of two distinct user experiences without causing confusion. Navigating through the ambiguity of a new feature, I found that drawing parallels with similar roles and workflows provided valuable insights into user expectations.
By actively testing the designs with individuals in comparable roles, I honed my ability to create an intuitive and user-friendly design. This iterative process ensured that users remained well-informed at every stage of their interaction with the new feature. Embracing challenges and leveraging user feedback became integral to my learning journey, contributing to the overall success and effectiveness of the project.