The Experience-Driven Business: Growing your customers, deepening your value, and surviving and thriving in the future

Experiences: The Key to Surviving and Thriving in the Future of Brick and Mortar

What? What is the concept, topic, or idea?
This is a book all about the future of brick-and-mortar and how businesses can set themselves up for success by leveraging the power of experiences.
Why? Why does this matter?
Brick-and-mortar is changing fast and those who don’t quickly adapt, will be dead in a few years. Experiences are the answer but most businesses are unprepared for this experience-driven world. Many brick-and-mortar businesses have been in the commodity business - people bought from them simply because that’s where they could buy from. To succeed in the future, every business must become an experience business.
Who? Who is this for, or who is involved?Current business owners in the brick-and-mortar space and entrepreneurs who are considering getting into brick-and-mortar. e-commerce and DTC considering opening flagship stores / stores. In the same way brick-and-mortar Owners had to digitized their businesses, the revert process has also led to those only digital consider having a space to engage with their customers and also improve operational efficiency.

…And, Why Experiences?
How do you serve your customers? Do they pick up groceries at your supermarket? Do they browse the latest bestsellers at your bookstore? Maybe they’re in the market for a new phone, and want to see their options in person at your tech store. Maybe they hit your gym or take an afternoon for some self-care at your spa. Do they stop by your party supply store to pick up a banner for a birthday gathering? Maybe they need to stop into your local bank branch to open a new account.
When we talk about brick-and-mortar retail experiences, this is what we’re referring to: businesses with a physical presence where a customer can go to interact with products or services.
Stores, shopfronts, physical locations. Banks, coffeeshops, clothing stores, a grocery store. Physical stores have been around for a very long time, and for centuries, going to a store was how you purchased your products. Yet the term “brick-and-mortar” evolved as a way to differentiate a business’s physical location from a business’s online presence. When we refer to brick-and-mortar retail experiences today, we’re referring to the physical place into which a customer can step foot, interact with staff and product, and walk out with their purchase in a bag.
While it seems like everyone’s doing their purchasing online today, brick-and-mortar retailers still play a major role for many consumers, and have more opportunity today to create engaging, memorable, and unique experiences for their customers.
In a brick-and-mortar location, customers are able to physically see the products they want to buy, and test them out before purchase. They’re able to interact with knowledgeable customer service reps who can guide them to the right product for their needs. The in-store experience itself may also be a draw to the customer, because while you may just need a new spatula, there is something compelling about winding through IKEA’s maze.
But in a modern world where online channels threaten to erase brick-and-mortar, owners and managers of brick-and-mortar locations have an urgency to focus on providing great in-store experiences for their customers, and evolving those experiences as the world changes. It’s not only about bringing foot traffic into the store to maintain sales, it’s about providing new ways for the brand to continue to connect with its audience. But providing great customer experiences is also about survival as well, past the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.