Could “Surprise” Be Your Next Customer Experience Strategy?

Unwrapping a new present. Unexpectedly meeting an Atlanta friend in the middle of Heathrow Airport in London. That jack-in-the-box the first time when you were a youngster.

Surprise. The unexpected. The totally unanticipated.

Surprise is a powerful and strong emotion and I touch on it in my new book The Coming Customer Influence Economy. And some companies use it to reinforce their brand strategy and offerings in the market. Also, Surprise was one of the six emotions early researchers found to be both universally expressed and recognized.

Let me ask you: Could the “Surprise factor” be a strategy you could use  to better position and brand your portfolio of products and services going forward?

Way back in the 1960’s, researchers like Paul Eckman uncovered the most basic emotions, including Surprise. Subsequent research by scientists at both Baylor University in Texas and Emory in Atlanta looking into the Surprise emotion ( novelty trumps pleasure ) have found that Surprise can often be transformative, even leading us sometimes to change our beliefs and our behavior.

Question: Where is “Surprise” in your marketing tool kit?

Disney, for example, has long used “the Surprise Factor” in their theme parks as they introduce visitors to new and unexpected worlds.

Similarly, when coffee giant Starbucks first opened its Seattle doors, lattes and Frappuccino's were definitely not anywhere near the radar of the U.S consumer, introducing totally unfamiliar tastes – and those great smells – to patrons who curiously ventured in to the Pike Place Market store for the very first time. ( btw, I was one of those curious patrons!)

Also, it didn’t diminish the unexpected that in Howard Shultz’s just published new book way back then, he lays out his plan for Starbucks’s to become “that ‘third place’” ( in addition to the home and the office ) in our evolving new environment. Part of his design was based on the grand old historic coffee houses of Europe, specifically Italy.

So I ask you: Where might you introduce a “Surprise strategy” in your business offerings today?

As my regular readers I know have already figured out by now, William is going to offer up some business tips now to help you in coming up with your “Surprise strategy”. Please see below.

Business Tip # 1. Counsel with your Talent about Surprise opportunities. Either survey or talk directly to your Employees (Talent these days ) regarding opportunities they might see for injecting some “Surprise points” into your product experience. They’re in the middle of the fight everyday after all.

Tip 2. Survey your Customers regarding potential “Surprise” opportunities. You’d be surprised – no pun intended – at how many good ideas your awesome Customers have about your business and your company. Survey them or maybe bring someone in to put on a Focus Group and I’ll bet you get some great suggestions!

Good luck and stay safe!

Until we are together the next time then here on LinkedIn!

Ciao.