Experiences are now the leader in creating new economic value. Products and services have become commoditized, and many have become interchangeable. So, how do you stand out in the crowd to get the buyer’s attention and eventually the order? The answer is to engage your customer and create memorable experiences. Products and services can come and go, but experiences linger in the mind for days, months and even years.
Consider your experiences on the Internet. You expect sites to be interactive and if they are motionless, you quickly move on to another site. You also expect customization in your experience. Your customers are like you. They want to participate, feel and interact in their sales engagements. They expect even everyday experiences to be memorable or they consider other vendors. What can you do to make your customer’s experience memorable? Here are a few ideas:
Make your regualar contacts unique and memorable
Instead of the mundane voice mail response, try something unique. Some people have unique titles like my friend Julia Rutherford Silvers, who wrote the book on Professional Event Coordination. As the owner of her company, she has the title of the Grand Pooh-Bah. Another friend indicated he performed above everyone else as the head Giraffe at Giraffe Goes Marketing. You may not be able to use such a title, but you could use a recorded assistant voice in a British accent or a holiday greeting to add interest.
Another suggestion is to make honoring the customer’s birthday experience unique. Remembering that the ethical limit is $25, you can send something related to the client’s hobby or particular interest in a unique package. I once sent a client a Harley Davidson mouse pad in a unique package. He loved and said he thought of me when he used it.
Even your business card can be a unique shape, design or include your photo and a unique message.
On sales calls, I often told short stories about my family members that would create a laugh and give customers a sense of me as a person. Some of my stories actually got a roaring belly laugh from the customer and created a more relaxed atmosphere.
Create added value with event experiences
An open house with presentations is a way to get customers to experience your product or service. Make it a special event with a theme. Which theme you choose and how much you invest depends upon the value of your sale and the personalities of your attendees. One company used the road racing championship series as the theme with each area representing a race such as the Indy 500. Another company used a jungle theme and used the tagline, “It’s a Jungle Out There.” Get creative and have fun.
Create learning experiences
It is incredible how much available information increases every day. It is a challenge for your customer to keep up and to remember the facts. So, create learning experiences and make them memorable. When my daughter, Wendy was studying for her nursing degree, she had to learn many complex facts about the nervous system. Her professor created a class experience by putting the terms to music and creating a dance about the system. She remembers the facts and gets a chuckle when she thinks of how she learned them.
You don’t have to match this experience, but you can create an interactive learning experience that is fun. One vendor had an on-line masquerade party for her learning webinar. Think creatively and remember you are not teaching them but rather helping them learn.
Provide interactive rather than static presentations
Make your customer a part of your presentation. That doesn’t mean asking executives to operate machines but rather getting them involved in the whole experience. Perhaps, you can have them relate a scenario they shared while you were researching the need. In a previous position, I took a group of pharmaceutical executives to headquarters for a tour of the manufacturing plant and meeting with our company executives. I arranged for them to prepare ahead of time and participate in the presentations, which made them highly customized. The experience helped them internalize the value, and the result was a 1.5 million-dollar sale. You may have to sell your customer on the idea of participating, but once they see the value of being a part of the experience, they will be eager to do their part.
Give your “Guest” a memento
A memento can help the experience to remain in the mind of your customer. You can give them something as simple as a photograph, or you can provide them with something useful that is related to the theme. A paperweight with an image of a lion can be a reminder of the jungle theme experience. A cup with symbols of clues can be a reminder of a mystery lunch and open house experience. When it is useful or personal, it has a greater chance of remaining in the customer’s office.
As you relax over the holiday, get the creative juices flowing and think of unique and imaginative ways to provide experiences in 2019. It will help you be more memorable and get a head start over the competition.
Look for more posts on success, sales, storytelling and streamlining your business in the new year.
Happy Holidays
Phyllis & John
About the Authors: Phyllis Mikolaitis and her partner John Switzer are sales coaches and training developers, each with over 30 years’ global experience. They are dedicated to taking you beyond the typical “how to” courses to the heart of persuasion techniques incorporating insights and stories to win the sale. Visit www.salestrainingsolutions.com where you can learn more about sales skills and the power of business storytelling to increase sales.