By Manny Carballea, COO
It’s not just about the coffee. It’s about the experience.
For several years, one can say I was taunted. I would visit a certain coffee house with a certain two-tailed mermaid as its logo, and I’d spend “top dollar” for a cup of coffee. But it wasn’t just about the coffee (though I eventually moved toward the house’s medium roast). It was a café mocha. A skillfully prepared beverage using steamed milk, mocha syrup, and espresso. Sometimes topped with whipped cream. It depended on the day.
What my friends failed to realize is that I wasn’t just paying for coffee. I was paying for what I wanted. Yes, I wanted a sweet, hot, espresso drink. But I also wanted the feel of that large, velvet-upholstered wingback chair, the smell of brewed coffee in the air, the indistinct chatter of nearby conversations, and the audible jazz playing in the background. I was paying for the experience.
The brand had created something beyond just expensive coffee. It had created an environment and an experience I craved, a setting that provided the relaxation I needed, and a feeling that was familiar to me no matter which store I visited. That’s powerful. The feeling I had while in the store is what I tied to the brand, and, as such, the feeling is what kept me coming back day after day, week after week.
Okay, so enough about coffee. What does this have to do with jewelry marketing?
I would say everything.
Customers visit a retail store or a website and experience the brand from start to finish. What they feel as they search for what they are looking for is part of the customer’s buying experience. It includes the colors and images they see, the words they read, the conversations they have with your employees… the overall vibe they feel when considering your brand. Perhaps it’s a strategically placed image with a statement that reminds them of a special milestone, a person, or a fond memory. Perhaps it’s knowing their jeweler by name, a jeweler who knows about the special events the customer has previously shopped for at their store. Or perhaps it's about remembering all the compliments they’ve received from friends and family about an item they purchased at your jewelry store. Those feelings are what can make the customer see the true value of your brand, way above the asking price.
Yet, some retailers focus on their product, and that’s still important. But the experience is just as important. Buyers today don’t just pay for a transaction when it comes to luxury. They also pay for the experience.
We all know, in today’s market, everyone has so many choices and so many options. How can any brand differentiate beyond inventory or price? Well, any brand can differentiate by what they can control. They can differentiate with the familiarity and trust that they establish with their customers, and that is what will keep customers coming back each time. The experience will keep your brand top of mind. And that will also make your brand the first name they think of when anyone they know asks for a referral.
There was something special about the coffeehouse that made me enjoy the drinks more than I probably should have. And to this day, I still land in a new city and search for that brand’s nearest coffeehouse. Because no matter how far away from home I am, that store still feels like home. Brands in every industry should strive to evoke that feeling in their customers.
So you can say, it’s not just about the coffee. And it’s not just about the jewelry.
It’s about the total experience you provide that persuades your customers to come back home… to you.
Interested in taking your branding to the next level? Contact us.
