Selling the Customer Experience this Holiday

I’ve been reminded again this year how much theater and shopping have in common, especially around the holidays. The experience is everything.

Theatrical debut

My 9-year-old daughter just wrapped up her first performance in a main-stage musical — Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. (She was FABULOUS, of course.) A local theater company celebrating their 40th year produced the show (way to go Lyric Theatre!). She auditioned back in August and was cast along with 20 other kids (out of hundreds). As if auditioning, casting and rehearsing weren’t thrilling enough, she performed 7 shows at the Flynn theater in front of an audience of 1,300!  The performers were accompanied by a full orchestra with beautiful sets, costumes and lighting. She was beyond ecstatic. The cast rehearsed four nights a week for four hours. My husband and I would have to set an alarm to pick her up some nights at 10:30 PM. When we arrived, she would bound to the car, talking a mile a minute about every detail of her night. You could feel the vibrations. As you can image, when it was over, there were many tears shed. She was so sad that this wonderful experience had come to an end.  We tried to console her by explaining that even though the play is over, she’ll always have the memories of that extraordinary experience (until the next show!). Isn’t it better to have done the play and feel sad afterward than not to have the experience? Suffice it to say, she has been bitten by the theater bug.

The holidays debut

It just so happens that as my daughter is returning from her theatrical orbit back to the mundane world of school and chores, the frenzy of the holidays are quickly approaching. The build up towards Christmas and then the come-down on December 26th seems comparable to what my dear 9-year-old is feeling after her debut. So how important is the experience and is it worth it?

Shopping experiences

This brings me back to shopping. I loathe the mall. I will avoid it all costs, especially at the holidays. I find crowds annoying and frustrating-in short, it’s not worth it. I want to enjoy my shopping experience, not fight for position in the checkout line. I know I’m not alone. When working with clients on holiday marketing plans, we advise them not to underestimate the value of providing a superior shopping experience. There are customers who happily pay more to avoid crowded parking lots, a crush of shoppers and blaring holiday tunes. The experience is what will keep them coming back. If you have the product they want and provide them with an excellent shopping experience, they will come back. And they’ll send their friends.

The ultimate experience, not the ultimate deal

According to a recent study, people still want the in-store experience. The study cites instant gratification, touch and feel and personal service as what drives people to the store to shop instead of sitting back on the couch and shopping online For those retailers who are successful in creating a memorable shopping experience, this holiday season will be a successful one.

Decide how to sell the customer experience this holiday

Whether it’s hot cider while you wait in a long checkout line, or plenty of extra (and knowledgeable!) staff for more personalized service, deciding how to sell a memorable shopping experience should be high on your marketing list this holiday. Most of us can find the product online (often at a better price). The experience (much like my daughter’s thespian debut) will keep them coming back.