Last Sunday, with appropriate social distancing, I met a friend at a coffeebar. Truth be told, I was working through some personal challenges and wanted some of his (always) sage advice.
I chose the cafe because I had previously worked as this roaster’s Director of Marketing, and I still have a deep affection for the people, brand and product. After greeting my buddy, I went through the oh-so-familiar coffeebar ritual of waiting in line, reviewing the “pour-over” options, ordering my beverage, and watching the barista work his magic. My name was called, and I grabbed my drink and walked back to our table.
The coffee was delicious, and the back-and-forth with my friend was inspirational, connected, and just fun. Over the course of our time together, my burdens seemed lighter, and I left the shop feeling much better than when I walked in. Since I am a Sales & Marketing guy, however, I stopped at the door on the way out and asked myself, “Did the coffee itself really do anything to change my mood?” (Yep, I really did.)
My initial answer seemed just a bit counterintuitive: My visit to the coffeeshop wasn’t about the coffee. Reflecting on the question and my answer since then, I came to a larger conclusion. I believe that our appreciation of a product or service is rarely about that product or service. Huh? What do I mean?
Well, let’s explore the coffee scenario described above. Was the coffee delicious? It absolutely was. Again, I know the company intimately, and I am very aware of the care that they take in sourcing, roasting, and preparing their product. They have won awards and are truly “best-in-class.“ But was the coffee ultimately what made the experience? I would argue that it actually played a much smaller role than one would think. In this instance, the coffee provided the “social lubricant” that my friend and I used for communication and connection. We could have had shared cocktails, beers, or even dinner, and I would likely have felt the same way afterwards.
My morning routine: a Hario V60 Ceramic Filer and Hario Buona Vita Kettle in action (image, Intelligentsia Coffee)
Want another coffee example? Each morning I brew my coffee in a very specific and very regimented way. I turn on my temperature-controlled kettle, I freshly grind my beans, I drop 30 g of coffee into my Hario V60 ceramic filter (image above) over which I pour 480 g of water heated to exactly 205 degrees. Would this coffee taste dramatically different if I used my automatic maker? Maybe yes and maybe no, but in this instance, it’s the ritual that I crave. Even when traveling, I begin each and every morning by making my coffee this way, and it provides a comforting jumping off point for the rest of my day. The ritual is just as important, or possibly even more important, than the result. It’s about the coffee, but it’s not about the coffee.
Letterpressed and foil stamped wedding invitation (image, Rohner Press)
Let’s use letterpress printing (image above) as another example. I also worked as Director of Sales & Marketing for one of the largest specialty printers in the US, based here in Chicago. This print technique creates a deep impression in paper, and my sales calls involved detailed narratives of the traditional/classic/”old school” techniques that could be used to create invitations, packaging, business cards, and marketing pieces that were beautiful to both the eye and the touch. By activating multiple senses, the printing, so the thinking goes, facilitates deeper emotional connection to the materials themselves.
In the course of my sales work, was I making the case that letterpress printing is absolutely necessary to communicate the details of a wedding? Absolutely not. The same information could be printed in a standard, flat, and non-tactile manner or even (*gasp*) sent electronically. When a couple does choose letterpressed invitations, however, their decision communicates that their relationship is special, that the people they invite are special, and that the event itself is special. The experience of sending and receiving these invitations facilitates emotional experience and connection. It’s about the letterpress, but it’s not about the letterpress.
Meticulously hand‑inlaid and patinaed copper tiles create a unique “wallpaper” (image, Maya Romanoff)
Last one: handcrafted wallpapers (image above). As you might have already guessed from the previous two examples, I also spent time working for a company in this industry. Their artisans produce a unique product, and very similarly to specialty printing, the narratives of design inspiration, manufacturing techniques, and the unexpected use of materials are woven throughout sales literature.
So, what’s most important to designers, the audience for these narratives? Ultimately, it’s the feeling of the space framed by these wallcoverings. Whether a dining room used to celebrate family holidays or a hotel room used to prepare for the big meeting, the overall emotional impact of the room is what stays with the individuals who spend time there. Designers explicitly understand this, and the rest of us intuitively feel it. Again, it’s about the wallpaper, but it’s not about the wallpaper.
Look, I am certainly not arguing that the design and manufacture of products and services don’t matter, nothing could be further from the truth. We do need to clarify the relative importance placed on this work, however. Let’s call this the “category ante.” At a bare minimum, the coffee has to taste good, the printing needs to be sharp, and the wallpapers need to be beautiful. To receive any sort of purchase consideration, a product or service has to meet its category ante. By exactly how much it needs to surpass this bar, if at all, is open to debate. Many companies’ obession over the smallest elements of design lead to a situation of diminishing returns (and a frustrated team!).
Ultimately, when Marketers and Salespeople focus too intently on category antes, and they often do, they miss an opportunity. Leave it to Production to roast the best beans, to print the most beautiful invitations, and to manufacture wallpapers using never-before-seen materials. Marketing and Sales need to move the discussion past a product or service’s “what.” They need to create and communicate a narrative that elevates their customers’ experience and leads to a place of deep emotional connection. Upon reaching this summit, the purchase decision will ultimately follow. To get there, remember that while it is about the product or service, it’s really about so much more.
…at least that’s my take. What do you think?