I’ve said before that everyone sells the same thing - positive experiences. But what does that mean, exactly?
The things we spend money and time on - be they services, products or activities - are all placeholders for positive experiences. We’re looking for positive experiences when we go to the dentist, buy a cell phone, or visit the park.
That’s why we’d rather go to a dentist who cracks funny jokes, buy from a cell phone company that donates to charity, and go to the park with a friend.
The context matters as much as the content.
There are peripheral components to those experiences. Hearing an interesting anecdote from your dentist improves your experience. Getting a free replacement when your phone breaks does the same, as does a rule at the park on cleaning up after your dog.
The better the experience you sell, the more people will buy. It doesn’t matter what business you are in.
It doesn’t even matter if you sell anything. Your boss doesn’t want you to finish that report, he wants you to give him a positive experience (success for the client, praise from his own boss, whatever).
That means you have to be smart and careful, because you’re selling more than you thought you were. The quality of an experience isn’t limited to the thing you thought you were doing.
An unfriendly receptionist negatively affects a dentist’s ability to sell his skills. A cellphone company with a nasty customer service rep will sell less phones. People won’t go to a park littered with broken glass.
Not everything is within your control. If you get stuck in traffic on the way to the dentist, you might find a new one.
But you do have more control than you think.
Step 1 - Identity the peripheral components to the experience you sell.
Step 2 - Improve them, whether it’s your job to or not.
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