The staging of experiences across many service business platforms including beauty is booming as a new, distinct form of value for consumers of all ages.
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Such experiences happen when a service or retail business – like a tanning salon – uses their services as a stage and products as props to engage with their guests on a personal, more engaging level. The guests or customers who pay for these “experiences” value being more engaged while using the services and buying the products the business offers.
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Businesses that have embraced this new economic offering (that we call experience makers) range from restaurants and retail stores to repair shops and service providers, all the way to car manufacturing and theme parks, and every other type of business in between.
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They no longer offer just products and/or services alone, but also the overall experience resulting from the visit – layered with a sensory-rich environment created and customized for their guests to immerse themselves in.
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Service businesses that are able to create such happiness-generating themes and experiences create not only loyalty and tons of opportunity for new customers from word-of-mouth, but also secure more of the customers’ hard-earned dollars and time.
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Get Inspired. Check out the list of businesses that have obviously benefited from this economic shift, as well as some others that may surprise you:
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One of my favs is Build-A-Bear Workshop – where you do much more than just purchase a manufactured teddy bear. You and your child actually dream up, choose and create a one-of-a-kind, cuddly, new family member complete with a birth certificate.
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American Girl Dolls: Sure, you can purchase a doll at American Girl, but you can also buy matching outfits for your child, have a photo-shoot, visit a hospital for dolls in need of mending, and have a tea party and lunch at the café within America Girl Place … a business where much more $$ are generated by the experience than from merchandise.
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Do people just buy things at your business, or are you offering a customer experience?
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Can some of the most mundane business models be influenced by this new economic order?
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There’s Geek Squad, the Minnesota-based computer support business. “Hi. I’m special agent 73 here for your computer,” like a modern-day episode of “Dragnet” as they engage clients with geek-themed humor. “Step away from the computer, ma’am – I’ll take it from here.” Sure, they still perform computer installation and repair, but they also offer a customer experience.
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Pike Place Fish Market. Yep, the fishmongers at the market in Seattle make buying cold, dead, stinky fish an experience for the customer. There, the signature moment is when the fishmonger holds the dead fish up to your face while you kiss it, holding the pose for a few seconds while photos are taken, and you buy the fish!
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At local, regional and national businesses, we see experience makers everywhere and every type of business cashing in on this new medium. Restaurants, retail stores, repair shops, hotels, beauty and fitness facilities, just to name a few!
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So, where will your community of customers spend their hard-earned money and time? Do they consider your business an “experience maker?”
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