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What Kind of an "Experience" Do You Give Your Customers?

In the old days, the products and services people bought were simply commodities. The buying decision was based on locality and price and usually not much else.

More and more, today's consumers buy an "experience."

Think about it. You don’t go to a nice restaurant just for good food. You go for the ambiance, the service—sometimes even the prestige. You go for the experience.

It's becoming that way with most products.

And yet, far too many business owners and managers see themselves as simply providing a product or delivering a service. And they wonder why they don’t stand out. They wonder why their customers leave for their competitors.

Smart entrepreneurs look to create a positive and memorable experience rather than just a transaction. They add value by creating an enjoyable experience.

Look at Southwest Airlines. Their motto is, "cheap, safe and fun." They walk their talk. Stories abound of just how fun they are to fly. And they've never had a fatal crash.

Think about where you do business and who you buy from. Why do you do it? Chances are, you enjoy doing business with the people and the businesses to which you give your money.

You might not think of every transaction as an experience. You might go to a dry cleaner because they're fast and they're on the way to work. But if you had a choice of dropping your dry cleaning to a fast, convenient and FUN place, wouldn't you rather do that? If they called you by name and made you feel special, wouldn't you prefer that? Of course you would.

Action Point
Brainstorm ways you can give your customers an "experience." How can it be made more entertaining? More fun? More educational? More inspiring or uplifting? If you do that, you'll have customers who easily—and with regularity—tell others about you.

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