For years we’ve been told not to talk about features, but benefits, to the point that it has become a marketing cliché. Nowadays, however, benefits are not enough to give products an edge. Making good products is not hard any more. Factories in low cost countries are a dime a dozen, and they can manufacture any product at the quality level of established brands for a fraction of the cost. Private label products are gaining shelf at the expense of branded products at alarming rates.

To be successful brands have to establish an emotional connection with customers that goes beyond features and benefits. What counts is the experience, of which the product is only one of many dimensions. I’ll give you an example:

In Miami, where I live, you can find these small booths where you can have a cup of freshly made espresso coffee, Cuban style. I love to have coffee there. Others do to. Those places are selling an experience. While the coffee (product) is good, and it packs a punch that can keep you on your toes for many hours (benefit), the reason people choose to patronize these places is more powerful: it’s all about character. Imagine this experience:

You approach the coffee booth and are greeted by a lady behind the counter with something like: ‘dime, mi amor’ (akin to the ‘yes hon’ we would hear in the South). Nothing rehearsed, no script here, just a genuine way of saying ‘how may I help you’. She then proceeds to ground your coffee beans on the spot. While you wait, you can feel the aroma of the hot, fresh espresso being brewed. Depending on the day, you may find a couple of elderly patrons in guayaberas having a high-decibel conversation in Spanish. Finally, your coffee is delicately poured into a small, real cup.

All that for a buck, including the tip.

Now, imagine this scenario:

The coffee booths have been taken over by a large franchise chain, the lady behind the counter has been replaced by a reluctant teenager in an awkward-fitting uniform who greets you with a monotone ‘good-morning-sir-welcome-to-McCoffee-may-I-take-your-order-please, and then pours your coffee into a Styrofoam cup.

Same coffee, same benefit, not the same experience…

The brands that will endure success are the ones that, like the little coffee booths in Miami, give their customers a great experience, and are able to do it consistently, time and time again. Are you giving your customers a memorable experience?

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