It starts with a purchase
Believe me when I say, I have been to my fair share of coffee shops during my 21 years of life. And like most people, I have a favorite.
As someone pursuing a career in marketing, I think it is important to analyze my own consumer behavior… Why, exactly, is the café where a coffee costs $9 the one I consider my favorite? I have visited other cafés where I purchased my coffee, received it, and went about my day. This is completely fine, but my relationship with those cafés ended as I walked back to my car with my iced vanilla latte in hand- it ended with my purchase. However, my relationship with my favorite café started with my first-ever purchase. They took note of my name, and engaged in conversation while I waited patiently for my overpriced coffee. Even after visiting after being away at college, they remembered not only my name and order but details about my life I had shared with them months prior.
The hospitality practiced in this coffee shop ran deeper than whether or not their couch was cozy or their latte-to-milk ratio was perfect—they wanted a relationship with me, a genuine one too. I was paying for a coffee, but I received an experience.
When I reflect on these things, it reminds me why I love marketing so much. What we get to do as marketers has a direct impact on the customers. Whether that be branding, social media, account management, or upfront selling, we always act with our customers in mind.
I have grown up living by the quote, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” The brands that live by this are the ones with a loyal customer base. Customers want to feel seen, cared for, and appreciated by the brands they purchase from. That is why it is so important for consumers and clients alike to experience good feelings when they purchase or partner with a company. The companies that accomplish this are starting new relationships with that first-ever purchase, and like me with my favourite coffee shop, will watch a new customer turn into a familiar face.
