A few weeks ago, I shipped a thank-you gift to a friend out in Denver. I wanted to send something personal, something unique, so I went to a local ice cream shop that’s been nationally recognized for it’s quality, and had several pints shipped to my friend on dry ice. My friend was really excited about the gift, not just because the ice cream was delicious, but because it wasn’t just any ice cream – it was a locally-made Ohio brand that he didn’t have access to in Colorado.
Recently, there’s been a clamoring for everything hand-crafted and unique. It’s why companies, like mine personalize everything — even juggling balls. Buyers want to know that the products or services they’re purchasing are customized for them, something special in a world of identical, mass-produced goods. Terms like “hand-crafted” and “handmade” and “unique” make us feel that the products have been given extra-special focus and care, which means they are superior to their factory-line counterparts.
This reminds me of another ice cream company called Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams that operates out of Ohio. Jeni’s used to hand write all of the flavor labels for each individual tub, customizing the product and making the purchaser feel as though that ice cream had been made just for them, even though it came from a large batch.
What are you doing to give your product an impression of being hand-crafted, unique, and customized to each user?
For my product, my keynote, I plan several conference calls with the organization leading up to their event to understand their mission behind the meeting. I research their industry and I work to understand its specific needs and challenges.
The day before or the day of the event, I show up hours before my program is scheduled so that I can sit in the sessions leading up to mine, giving me the chance to observe and better understand my audience. That way, by the time I take the stage, I am prepared with a customized keynote that has been hand-crafted to suit the needs of my client.
Do you have any ideas for personalizing or giving a product or service a “hand crafted” feel? Comment below or hit reply and share them with me!
*Image courtesy Arnold Gatilao
As a speaker and author, Curtis Zimmerman has impacted over one million people with his life-changing messages and award-winning programs. Curtis is an expert at transforming organizations by inspiring individuals to live their lives at performance level.
Want to be inspired? Check out his podcast The Next 24 Hours.
