How to make a consumer feel when they open the packaging

The usage stage of the path to advocacy is important.

The first part of it is the often described as the ‘second moment of truth’ (the first moment being in store).

This moment can provide a good opportunity to deliver a WOW brand experience.

Some brands get this wrong (think anything in a plastic moulding)

Some brands get it absolutely right (think Apple).

The film above is a fun parody of the affect you should be achieving when the consumers opens the box for the first time. If you can do this you are far more likely to cement the consumers' view that they made the right brand choice.

They may even tell their friends about it.

If you can do that and build advocacy you will have a winning brand.

Delivering a brand experience that get noticed

Bravo Experience posted this brilliant Pampers TV ad.

I completely agree with their comment: "it proves that an experience can be created through any medium."

I love it.

Dream Product

I came across this fantastic product thanks to a Tweet from Guy Kawaski.

A remote control that can handle up to eight digital components...that is also a beer opener.

What can I say....other than I want one.

It is possible for high street stores to win against on-line stores

This cheeky UK poster campaign Dixons highlights a major challenge brand stores face in this new internet age.

Consumers shop in a number of different ways. These are two:

They can shop in a store with a nice environment, a wide selection of goods, and that has sales staff who are courteous and know what they are talking about.

They can buy on-line.

Okay, a lot of consumers do both (the insight that lead to this campaign).

Some stores invest significant time and resource in ensuring they deliver brand experiences that deliver and delight consumers. While other stores don’t ; they have rude and ill informed staff that don’t give a damn.

Which do you think will survive and thrive this new age?

John Lewis Partnership focus on delivering brand experiences that WOW. Take a look at their customer care and business results to see how it pays-off.

If you manage a brand store that does not deliver a brand experience that WOWs consumers you are likely to fail as online stores take ever more share from the high street.

My recommendation is to leverage one of the main competitive advantages physical stores have... the ability to interact with consumers on an emotional level using the human touch. It is a powerful tool. Use it.

Are UK supermarkets ripping us off?

Do you check your receipt carefully at the check-out?

No...well, I recommended that you do.

My wife does and some times she finds a small error.

The most common error being when a promotional offer (i.e. buy one / get one second at half price, 25% off, etc) does not get deducted.

She reckons that without a little diligence she could miss-out on around 50p - £1 per month. That equates to up to about £12 per year. Multiply this by every shopper in the UK and it quickly builds-up to around a whopping £1/4 billion a year.

That is not great, but it is how some supermarkets handle it that really irritates her.

She is told to take her receipt and wait in the (so called) customer service queue - behind customers buying lottery tickets, etc - to claim her money back.

This is not good enough.

If I were running a supermarket I would would take this as an opportunity to deliver a brand experience that aims to surprise and delight the consumer.

Make a bigger deal of it. The check-out person should be empowered to thank the consumer for highlighting the error, and maybe even rewarding them (In some supermarkets not long ago the policy was to pay-out double the difference.)

Okay, I recognise that this could reduce revenues and add costs (clearly not a great combination). However, turning this situation into a positive and memorable brand experience would build greater loyalty and advocacy.

A good way to differentiate and win greater market share in this extremely competitive market.

Focus on building memorable brand experiences to drive business success

Seth makes a great point in a recent article.

He asks a simple question about what brand organisations should focus on:

“Should their product or service be very good, meet spec and be beyond reproach

or...

... should it be a remarkable, memorable, over the top, a tell-your-friends event?”

You guessed it...brands must aim for the latter. (You can’t compromise by trying to do both.)

He goes on to say what I say all the time:

“..invest in staff and training and services that would be so connected to each other and the guests, so willing to engage and to change people that it might become the sort of transcendent experience that people talk about for months.”

It is simple. Focus on WOWing consumers so they buy again and tell their friends.

If you can build advocacy you will be successful.