Are You An Experience?

Recently, I referenced a portion of Paul Allen’s review of CES wherein he commented that, “a few years back Comdex started dying and all the computer hardware and software companies seemed to want to turn into consumer electronics companies.” Paul and I talked about how Americans seem to be, as the book is titled, Amusing Ourselves to Death.

But reading a section of Tim Sanders’ Love is the Killer App today helped me realize that the draw toward games and entertainment may be a natural progression of economics:

“According to [Joseph Pine and James Gilmore’s The Experience Economy,] there have been four phases of economic progression.”

• First was the commodity phase, where raw resources were extracted and sold
• Next came the goods phase, where value-added was first introduced, refining natural resources into products
• Third came the service economy, which almost killed great old manufacturing companies like IBM, until (or, unless) they came back as service providers. This phase is now ending.
• “The fourth phase of the progression, which is just beginning now, is organized around the experience. ” Pine and Gilmore says companies taking advantage of this shift are beginning to “use their products as props and their service as a stage to deliver a compelling experience.”

Sanders continues explaining these economic shifts by commenting:

“Commodities were measured by their characteristics, goods by their features, services by their benefits, and now experiences by their sensations.”

A local example of this is the Megaplex Theatres in Jordan Commons. I had not been there before the December Geek Dinner. When I walked in the theatre, looking for The Mayan (an experience of itself), I was literally blown away at the experience presented before my eyes.

Joseph Clay wrote the following description for CitySearch:

The Scene
Meticulously re-created, for your nostalgic pleasure, are the facades of the great movie palaces of Salt Lake’s past. Bask in the neon-marquee warmth as you make your way to comfortable, and oh-so-functional stadium seating. The Commons is a great place to kill two birds with one stone: feed the family and enjoy a good flick at the same time. Real food (beyond the nacho and popcorn mainstays) is sold and may be eaten in the theatres.

In fact, the very first word you read on the Megaplex website after the name of the theatre is “Experience”

But, I don’t think the experience economy means you have to amuse people all the time. It’s just that people are looking for good experiences in what they do and what businesses they patronage (or the people they hire). I do this to a fault! [I may never go to another fast-food asian resturaunt again, but I can’t wait to get back to Pei Wei in Sandy (thanks Graham for taking me!) because of the experience I had. ] Coffee drinkers may note here that the experience of their local cafe is why they spend $5.00 on a cup of joe. This is why I may never buy a suit from another place than Men’s Warehouse in Orem (thanks, Vanice, for making suit-shopping fun!).

But, though I’m looking for experiences around me, that’s different than wanting to play all the time. For example, I don’t play video games, I don’t really care about Video on my cellphone, and I don’t like watching TV Dramas or the nightly (bad) news. I don’t value these experiences enough to spend my energy on them.

I think, if people are exposed to your singularly exhilirating experience, you’ll have no shortage of success, be that in the form of clients, contacts, relationships, and opportunities.

Develop Your Experience
Sanders contends that, to differentiate yourself in the experience economy you need to mimic this idea. Make doing business with you a thrill. You can do this by becoming a lovecat (read the book) and sharing your knowledge, influence and your network with others.

“When you represent knowledge, opportunity, selflessness and intimacy, you are not just a service provider or a product. You are fun, you are interesting, you are valuable; you take people places they have never been before, you show them books they’ve never heard of, you introduce them to people they never dreamed they would meet–in short, you are the equivalent ofa human theme park.”

This is the essence of the Special Sauce I speak of at-times when I come across a truly, absolutely exceptional candidate. You know these people. They’re the ones who seem to get truly and honestly better every single day. It’s not that they’re better than you, they just create a better experience.

So, here’s the question: If you’re working with co-workers, business partners or clients (or hiring or interviewing to be hired), when the other people you interact with leave your presence, how are they different?

• Did your presence give them a lift?
• Did you set their mind’s wheels in motion toward solving that very complex problem they’ve been struggling with?

Author Will L. Thompson penned the following query in verse (which was later put to music) titled “Have I done Any Good in the World Today?”

Tis noble of man to work and to give,
Love’s labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps others to live,
To God each good work will be known.

Get out there and create an experience for someone today!