| SUCCESS STORY |
|
| Phonely Solution: "Let’s Talk" Platform for Dating Sites |
 |
| Site: kolayARKADAS.com ( www.kolayARKADAS.com ) |
| Site original launch date: May 1999 |
| Number of members end of 2003: 151,000 |
| Daily unique visitors: 9,000 |
| Let’s Talk service launched: January 2004 |
| Members as of May 2004: 218,000 |
| Daily unique visitors after Let’s Talk: 18,000 |
| Daily members used Let’s Talk: 1,100 calls for an average of 10 mins |
| Total talk-time among members between Feb-May: 1,320,000 mins |
|
| kolayARKADAS.com had the Classical Business Model: |
kolayARKADAS.com had the same business and revenue model as most of the online dating sites since 1999. The membership was
free and members could communicate with each other via web-based messaging, sms, etc.
|
| kolayARKADAS.com had the Classical Revenue Model |
In addition to the banner-advertising, the only revenue model for the site was the sale of its 3, 6 and 12 month packages
which enabled the members to “message” each other. Since this was a small sized dating site the sales were no more than average.
|
| Integration of Phonely’s Let’s Talk Service |
kolayARKADAS wanted to try Phonely’s Let’s Talk service to offer something new and different to its members as well as to increase
its revenues. The technical implementation and integration of Phonely took approximately two weeks. Phonely also provided a complete
management interface for kolayARKADAS to monitor all member talk activities.
|
| Member Interest Beyond Expectation |
After announcing Let’s Talk service to its current 151,000 members, kolayARKADAS management was surprised by the feedback. Not only
the membership increased but the return frequency of the current members has also been beyond expectation.
|
| Members of kolayARKADAS.com Increases |
kolayARKADAS had signed-up 151,000 members between 1999-2004. Upon the launch and announcement of Let’s Talk service,
the membership has increased to over 218,000 within few months. In addition, daily unique visitors for the site has
increased by 50%.
|
| Interest by the Members of Competitor Dating Sites |
The new Let’s Talk service debut on kolayARKADAS.com has created a great interest within the Turkish Dating Market
and brought new members to the site without any major promotional or advertising activities. Word-of-mouth was working
at its best! kolayARKADAS has started capturing new members from competing dating sites.
|
| More Dating Sites Wanted Let’s Talk Service |
kolayARKADAS has quickly differentiated itself among other dating sites in the market. This competitive advantage quickly
raised flags by the other dating sites. As a result, other dating sites of the market inquired about the implementation
of Let’s Talk service in to their systems.
|
| The Amount of Users Who Uses Let's Talk Service |
This great interest to the site has positively effected the site usage and traffic. Approximately 28% of the members
subscribed for the new Let’s Talk service. The average online members expecting calls or “ready to talk” were 7,000 males
and 1,200 females at all times for the past few months.
|
| How did kolayARKADAS.com Announce and Present the New Service? |
 Following
the integration and testing of the Let’s Talk Service to the kolayARKADAS.com site, the members received an e-mail about the new service
and the great advantages about it. In the e-mail and announcement newsletters, kolayARKADAS explained that now members whereever they are,
could talk to each other via their mobile phones and receive calls from other members if they choose to. All calls are anonymous, ie no
phone numbers are given out.
Members quickly understood the easy instructions on how to use the system and started using it within minutes.
Please click here to see the instructions delivered to its members by kolayARKADAS.com
|
| SUMMARY |
|
| kolayARKADAS.com had the Classical Business and Revenue Model |
kolayARKADAS.com had the same business and revenue model as most of the online dating sites. The membership was free and
members could only communicate with each other via web-based messaging, sms, etc. The only major revenue for the site was
the sale of its 3, 6 and 12 month packages which enabled the members to “message” each other.
|
| kolayARKADAS.com Adapted the Let’s Talk Service Powered by Phonely |
kolayARKADAS enabled its members to talk to each other on their mobile phones. What do you think they preferred? Just messaging or
talking? It is safe for members as all the calls are anonymous. Phone numbers are not visible to each other. Members can be anywhere
in the world yet still call each other. Without paying the high international tariffs to their mobile operators!! In fact with no
additional charges to them as all the calls were incoming!
kolayARKADAS offered something new, different and exciting on their site! They thought dating sites have been the same long enough!
Good news is that they did NOT need high infrastructure investments to employ Let’s Talk service on their site! In return, they have
not only increased their member-base but also boosted the daily traffic on their site.
|
| Increase and Stabilize Your Revenue Stream |
In addition to differentiating itself in today’s competitive environment; adding new members and increasing the daily return-traffic
to its system by offering new and exciting services; the dating site will make additional revenues on the minutes utilized by its
members.
In the classical revenue model, dating sites charge members for subscription. However, with Phonely model, members will buy credit
(talk-time) as they go! It is a constant and on-going revenue stream for the dating sites.
|
| CONCLUSION |
After adapting Phonely’s Let’s Talk Service, kolayARKADAS became the trend-setter in its own market. Within less than four months,
the site increased its number of members by more than 35% and the daily unique visitors traffic by 50%. Started capturing members
from other datings sites. But best, the site started generating additional but major revenues that is constant and on-going. All
this without making any investments!!!
|
