Molding a customer experience that is desirable for your target audience is paramount to business success in today’s economy.
I have a pet peeve. I hate it when we clearly explain our working philosophy, (i.e. molding the customer experience is foundational to all other marketing efforts we undertake, and lean marketing programs are only successful when it is understood that all of a business is marketing), a client hires us to save their business from the mire of traditional advertising and marketing, then they REFUSE OUR ADVICE. I’m not so full of myself to believe that our ideas are perfect or a business cure-all. However, if you agree with our modus operandi, at least try out the recommendations.
Currently, I have at least two clients paying for a TERRIFIC e-mail management system with solid past customer lists loaded into the system, and they refuse to communicate with their (soon to be ex-) customers on a regular basis. I have clients who think that the retail merchandise should speak for itself – who cares what the 100-year-old store looks like or how the employees interact? Advertising should still save the day. There must be a media tool that WORKS, they tell me.
(Now to be fair, it is my job to get in their face and make them face reality. Trust me; I have skills in this department. However…)
Wow, have they missed the boat. Radio works just fine – if you have something remarkable to say on it. TV advertising, while on a decline, might get you some attention, if you have an outstanding, buzz-worthy customer experience to share.
But, what’s even better, is that if you invest in your customer experience and simply tell your EXISTING customers about the upgrade in experience, you won’t have to spend on advertising. Just give your existing customers something to talk about, even involve them in the changes. Educate them, and then watch the word spread like wildfire. Your customer retention will skyrocket, buzz around your business will explode and your business will boom. All because you bothered to create a valuable, desirable, remarkable customer experience.
And at the end of the day – what if my silly suggestions about music, packaging, sensory elements and human interactions don’t make significant improvements? You probably won’t be out much.
But it’ll work.
Thanks for keeping me on your email update list. We have an agritourism and educational farm near Houston, TX. We sell the “farm experience” oriented to the family with a corn maze, pumpkin patch, animals, etc. It does my heart good to see you talk about “selling the experience”. We are open in Oct and Nov and have been open to the public for 4 years. We had over 40,000 guests last year and now have to now learn how to better run a growing business. Check out our website and see what we are all about. We are a long way from your Mississippi base but I love your small business perspective. Keep up the good work!