7 Ways to Stand Out in the Experience Economy

Are you looking for ways to stand out in the experience economy?

Nowadays, customers are demanding more engaging, satisfying experiences – regardless of whether they’re attending an event, going to the cinema (think 4DX), or just doing some shopping on the high street. And this is a global economic shift that’s only going to get bigger, with more and more companies investing in top-tier experiences for their customers.

So, what can you do to ensure you don’t get left behind in the experience economy?

Well, at POP, we pride ourselves on creating immersive, memorable experiences using interactive touchscreens and sales enablement tools – so we know a thing or two about what makes a great experience. Below, we’ve put together 7 tips to help you stand out in the experience economy.

1. Up your game a few notches

Are you already above all of your closest competitors? In the experience economy, it doesn’t really matter. Your customers no longer compare you to those directly competing against you – they’ll compare you to the best experience or service they’d ever had.

And that could mean from any company or individual. To quote Paul Jarman, CEO of NICEinContact (via Forbes):

“Consumers expect fast, easy and enjoyable interactions with any company they talk to, and the consequences of providing poor or even ‘good enough’ service are extremely high – especially compared to just ten years ago before the rise of social media.”

Which is why you have to start really raising the bar to go above and beyond what your customers are expecting. But it also means you can look around for inspiration wherever you may find it!

2. Impress tech-savvy customers

If you’re looking to create an experience that will really impress and ensure you come across as an innovative, forward-thinking brand, why not add some tech into your experience? This could be anything from an interactive touchscreen experience, to virtual reality.

You may have noticed interactive touchscreens are now making more of an appearance everywhere from tradeshows and conventions, all the way to your local high street stores and fast food restaurants. They even make a great addition to museums, galleries and archives – and it’s all about creating an experience your customers will love.

The good thing about immersive touchscreen experiences is that they can be entirely bespoke, and include a range of features that appeal to your best customers. This could include gesture or demographic recognition, 3D models, object recognition, gesture control, videos and fun-filled games! (Psst! There’s so much more where that came from – read our blog to find out more: How to Enhance Customer Experience with Interactive Touchscreens)

3. Offer a more personalised experience

We know this isn’t always possible, but with things like facial recognition now available that remembers your favourite burger (thanks BurgerFi and CaliBurger), offering a personalised experience where possible is absolutely key.

For instance, when a customer gets in touch with you, now they expect you to know their name, any issues they’ve had in the past, and their purchase history – plus more. It doesn’t have to mean keeping more information than absolutely necessary (GDPR is now a thing), but you can still ensure you have all the information you need to provide the most personalised experience possible.

The very least you can do is to know your key customers inside-and-out. Know their interests, likes and dislikes. Where do they like to hang out? What are their goals, or concerns? All of these things can go towards at least creating a customer-centric experience they’ll appreciate – regardless of the platforms you choose to engage them on.

4. Think outside the box

Now, think about this: what can you offer to your customers that they won’t be expecting? And how can this coincide with going above and beyond when delivering an exceptional, engaging and memorable experience that they’ll not only love but want to share with everyone they know?

It doesn’t necessarily have to be the most complex, flashiest or expensive experience. However, doing something completely unique that surprises and delights will definitely ensure you get noticed for all the right reasons.

So, don’t be afraid to get creative!

5. Be flexible and keep it fresh

The key to creating a fantastic experience that’s sustainable is to stay on your toes. Be adaptable, but most importantly, listen to the feedback you’re getting from your experience, and improve on it whenever you can. Let people know you’re listening – they’ll appreciate it.

For example, if you’ve decided to implement an interactive touchscreen experience to engage your customers and get them interacting with your brand, one of the biggest benefits is trackable analytics. So, you’ll be able to see which parts of your interactive experience people are using the most – and which parts could be improved upon.

There’s also the more traditional social media channels to pay attention to. These channels give your customers have a voice – and you can’t afford to ignore it.

6. Reach out to influencers

Depending on your industry, you may want to reach out to influencers, ‘early adopters’ or lighthouse customers. Invite them to participate in your experience early, and reward them for helping to spread the word (with freebies, new software updates – if applicable – or other fun stuff) for a synergistic relationship.

Again, depending on what you’re selling, you could even get early adopters to try things out at tradeshows or conventions – before rolling out your experience everywhere.

Influencer marketing is an effective way to get off the ground running when making a splash in the experience economy, but it all depends on whether you think it’s something that could work well for your brand.

7. Delight your customers at every turn

It’s all about creating a seamless experience that surprises and delights your customers. Expectations are high, so if you can offer something smooth and enjoyable that enhances the experience they go through when buying your products or services – or perhaps to entice them into buying your products or services – then you’re onto a real winner.

How can you go about doing this? Well, for starters, think about their average transaction; how can you make it easier, simpler or quicker? Now, how can you take that experience, and make it a lot more enjoyable, fun and engaging?

Would something interactive like a touchscreen help or hinder the process? (Again, that might depend on your customers and how tech-savvy they are)

Advice from the experience pros

Consumers are now placing a lot more importance on the experiences they take away from your brand. It goes without saying that most of your customers come to you first because of the products or services they provide – but they’ll stay because you’re exceeding their expectations and providing a memorable, engaging experience that they won’t find elsewhere.

So, regardless of what you’re selling, think of ways you can improve the experience you’re offering to customers. One way of doing this is embracing innovative digital technology, such as interactive touchscreens, cloud solutions and even virtual reality.

If you can provide a top-tier personalised experience that people will want to share far and wide, you’ll not only keep your key customers; you’ll attract new ones.

Worried about how you’re going to stand out in the experience economy?

Don’t be. There are plenty of ways to provide a fantastic experience that your customers will love – all it takes is following some of the tips above. For instance, if you think outside the box and get really creative with the experience you offer customers, there’s really no limit to what you can achieve!

Another good bet is going the technology route, and investing in an interactive experience that attracts tech-savvy customers who want an enhanced experience when finding out about your product or service. Touchscreens might be an option, although there’s a lot to consider before deciding if they’re right for you!

What are your thoughts on the experience economy? If you’d like to see interactive touchscreen experiences in action, watch this…

If this looks like the right way forward for your brand, get in touch today on +44 (0)117 329 1712 or hello@popcomms.com. We read and reply to every message we receive!