If my favourite whiskey is in a heavy glass. If it’s a double. If I can hold it up to the light to check (for no reason at all) the colour. And if I can hear the clink of one ice cube… I’m happy.
I’m not sure why my touch, sight and hearing senses make my favourite whisky taste nicer. But they do.
This being true, then why would most business-leaders-as-bartenders, from what I can see – focus only on telling me how great the whiskey is, before serving half a pint of it to me, in a bloody mug?
I see some beautiful products and services. And I am lucky enough to meet some mindblowingly clever business leaders. But, mostly, the marketers responsible for communicating the offer don’t understand rituals.
Business rituals, I think, are real. The things that go on ‘around’ your offer. Many are nuanced, nonsensical even – and weird. Which is (and I do mean this) BRILLIANT! Because I love weird (and so do consumers). But most rituals are ignored. Opportunity is lost. And yet again, offers blend into one.
Rituals range from silly to superb. Slices of lime in the tops of bottled beer? ‘Bit silly (but good for early sales, as it goes). The way it feels and sounds when opening and using an apple product for the first time. Superb.
There will definitely be rituals in your world. Learn what they are. Invent some, even. Make them smart, memorable and different if you want to pull ahead of the rest. But don’t imagine that there aren’t any rituals in your world. No matter what business you’re in. Because you’d be wrong.
As a little reminder of how rituals work, and some useful information for if I ever see you around… my favourite whiskey* is in a heavy glass. If it’s a double. If I can hold it up to the light to check (for no reason at all) the colour. And if I can hear the clink of one ice cube… I’m happy.
*Johnnie Walker Black.