I hope you had a chance to read Tuesday’s email and the “What Businesses Need to Know Right Now” interview with Nathan Willard. He discussed the experience economy, being aware of the experience you create for your customers and communicating your story. (If you missed it, you can watch the video here!)
It got me thinking about some of the ways to improve the customer experience. There are certainly lots of ways to go about it – but one way is to find your niche. We hear this a lot, but when you have a niche that you are truly passionate about – it shows in all you do – and that includes the customer experience. And that brings me to today’s tool – or in this case – person – Sherene Rapaport. Sherene has over 20 years of experience working with fundraising and memberships organizations – and she’s definitely found her niche – and the experience she delivers to her customers is second to none. She focuses on non-profits and helping them develop membership and funding through marketing campaigns and data analytics. Her expertise lies in designing and executing strategic, multi-channel outreach strategies with a focus on individual donor and individual member acquisition, on-boarding and retention. And when you talk with her…you can hear and feel the enthusiasm she has for what she does – and her clients feel the same. If you work with non-profits, you may find that you and Sherene could merge your talents to create real synergy! Don’t hesitate to reach out to Sherene – you’ll find her contact info in the link above! Please comment below. I would love to hear from you.
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What is the experience economy?
I didn’t invent the term “experience economy.” There’s a book called “The Experience Economy,” and the basic idea is that in the past, we had an economy based on commodities. Then we experienced the Industrial Revolution, and we started to focus on products. Now we’ve switched to services. And the experience economy takes it a step further. It’s not commodities. It’s not about the product or the object that you sell. It’s not even about the service that you sell. It’s about the experience that you’re providing. The pinnacle example of this is Disney. Anybody who’s ever been to Disneyland or Disney World or encountered Disney at all understands that Disney is not just about products or services; it’s about the entire experience that they provide for their customers. So, the basic idea is that no matter what your business is, realize that what we’re actually selling is the experience. And our customers want transformative experiences. This is something we need to realize now, and no matter what the future brings, that’s something that we need to always be paying attention to – no matter what our business is. “Have you put any thought into the experience you are providing for your customers? While initially, you might be able to provide them a product or service they need, eventually, that will not be enough with the number of choices that consumers have available.” Why is it important right now for a business to be aware of the experience they are creating for their customers? Most people have had it drilled into their head that you’re not supposed to be selling features; you’re supposed to be selling benefits. And that means explaining what you do and if it’s a product, to explain the benefits to the customer. Now we’re moving to selling the experience. And while I don’t know that it’s more important than ever – it definitely has applications today. We have two major crises happening at this moment. One is COVID-19, and the other that is happening has to do with the riots, the police, and the political world. So, every business needs to consider how these are going to affect their clients. When you’re working with your current customers or trying to attract new customers, you have to think about the fears, the concerns, and the problems that your customers have. And if you’re not thinking about those things, then you’re not thinking about how they’re affected by COVID-19 or how they’re affected by the political unrest that is occurring right now. “Your clients and customers are greatly affected by the things happening outside of your business. Have you thought about this as you interact with clients? Have you tied it to the experience you are creating for them?” How do they communicate their story through the experience they provide? You have examples of businesses who have destroyed or ruined their business because their owner or CEO makes some stupid joke on Twitter. They think it’s funny, but it can ruin their business. This isn’t just about pretending that you care. It is about being aware of how your actions affect people, how they’re going to affect your business, and realizing that that is all part of what your business is about. The current atmosphere and your actions are going to affect how people see your business. It’s going to affect the character of your business and how you’re perceived. And how you respond in these kinds of situations matters to people. Or, if you fail to respond, that also matters to people, and they will notice it. Nobody gets to pretend that they don’t have to care about these things. You have to take some sort of action. “The experience goes beyond the experience you’re creating for your customers, clients, and employees. You also need to consider the experience that they’re having in the larger world and how your company fits into that puzzle.” 3 Action Steps
Connect with Nathan Willard at nathanwillard@ethosbusinessguide.com Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. Yes, you! You are BRILLIANT!
I don’t know if anyone has told you that lately, but you are. And it’s nothing to shrink away from or hide behind – especially with your business. Put it out there for the entire world to see. There are times we don’t see it ourselves. Why is that? Lifehack.org had an excellent blog entitled “9 Reasons You Are Brilliant But Do Not Realize,” and I loved the reasons they shared! Why? Because they’re things that you’re doing each and every day – and yet, you don’t view them as anything special – even though they are. #9 – You have a relentless passion and drive is particularly great. It reminded me of my transition from professional organizer to coaching. I loved organizing and helping individuals solve their organizational and clutter challenges. I loved working with my clients, and I was able to help them through challenging situations to be able to create an environment that supported them. It was a great feeling, and they got great results. But, when it was time to grow, I knew I couldn’t add any more client appointments to my calendar. I couldn’t be in two places at once. In order to serve more clients, I brought on and trained more organizers. Now, I was doing everything I had been doing originally and training and managing employees. My plate was full. The money was coming in. I was paying my employees to serve clients. I was busy running the business. It got to the point that I saw almost no clients. It seemed like my business was growing because I was bringing on more organizers and serving more clients. But I wasn’t growing. There were days that I would answer the phones or make calls for scheduling, and the person on the other end had no idea they were talking to the owner of the company. That was a wake-up call. I had outsourced my unique brilliance, working with clients and giving them outstanding results. I was busy just trying to keep the company running, doing all the little tasks that a company must complete to operate. It was time to make a change. It was time to use my unique brilliance – just in a different way. Because the passion and drive were there – but they weren’t being utilized to their full potential. And it was time to let my brilliance shine. 2021 needs to be the year that YOUR brilliance shines. You’re not going to discard it. You’re not going to outsource it. You’re not going to ignore it. You are going to embrace it. You are going to explore it. You are going to work in it. Now, if you’re thinking to yourself, “Okay, Nettie…this is a really nice pep talk…” – yes, it is. But your brilliance is not just for you. You also need to share it. Your brilliance is a skill. It shows people that the impossible is possible. It shows people that missteps aren’t life-ending. It shows people how to be their best selves. It shows people how to think outside the box and thrive. So, yes…this is definitely a pep talk, but it’s also a call-to-action. This week I’d love for you to set an intention of working in your brilliance – and sharing it. Are you ready to put your brilliance out there for the world to see? Please comment below. I would love to hear from you. Guess what? Guess what? (Yes, I’m a little excited!) I’m here to tell you that…I’ve got a NEW WEBSITE!
WOOHOO!! After months of work, it’s time to officially reveal the new NettieOwens.com website! A few of you may have gotten a sneak peek at it (as it’s been live for a few weeks now) – but today’s the official unveiling! And I’m thrilled to share it with you! Why do I love it so much? Well, I love how easy it is to navigate! You can see ALL of the current Momentum Programs, check out my latest blogs, catch up on media citings, and listen to all of the most recent interviews from “What Businesses Need to Know Right Now.” But most of all – I built it with you in mind. I wanted it to be a place where you have easy access to the things that are helping you. And I hope you love it as much as I do! Head on over and take a look – and send me a note letting me know what you think! (All you need to do is reply to this email!) And thanks again for checking it out! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! |
AuthorBeing an entrepreneur and business owner is hard! Once you have your business up and running it's not uncommon to hit a few snags: scalability, staff retention, launching growth projects, getting enough sleep! Archives
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