10 Ways To Create Stuff That People Talk About

One of my goals with Mixergy is to help you build a business that’s as talked about as Cirque du Soleil, Red Bull and adidas.

To do that, I invited Bertrand Cesvet, whose firm helped all three of those companies build remarkable experiences.

In this program, you’ll get specific techniques for adding “conversational capital” to your work.

Bertrand Cesvet

Bertrand Cesvet

Conversational Capital

Bertrand Cesvet is the author of Conversational Capital, and Chairman and Chief Strategist of SID LEE, a leading provider of experiential design and creative services. Over the past 10 years, he has helped transform a small, but promising creative shop into a leading purveyor of experiential design and communication services for breakthrough brands.

 

10 Engines Of Conversational Capital

#1 Initiation

How this works: Put people a little off balance, and then reward them for their discomfort.

Real world examples: Great restaurants sometimes initiate you by forcing you to wait in long lines before you can enjoy them. Ikea initiates its customers by forcing them to unpack and assemble their furniture before they can use it.

#2 Ritual

How this works: Make experiencing your product into a ritual and it will become memorable and worthy of conversation.

Real world examples: Tiffany makes engagement ring shopping into a ritual by bringing out Champagne and chocolate. At Pat’s Cheese Steaks in Philadelphia, you have to order your food correctly or be sent to the back of the line.

#3 Over-delivery

How this works: Think of the most memorable experiences in your life. Weren’t they the times when you got more than you expected? Didn’t it make you want to tell others about your experience?

Real world examples: Volvo doesn’t just give its owners a little extra safety. They add more safety features than most drivers could keep track of, so they’re remarkable. Corona is the one beer that’s served with a little something extra: a wedge of lime.

#4 Exclusive Product Offerings

How this works: Since no two people look exactly alike, no two experiences should be exactly the same.

Real world examples: Harley Davidson’s motorcycles are highly customizable. Toyota’s Scion has more than 40 different after-market accessories to help its drivers individualize their ride.

#5 Myths

How this works: By rooting your business in a story that says what it stands for, you help shape what your customers feel when they interact with it.

Real world examples: The story of how creative and innovative Apple’s founders were when they launched their company helps shape the way users think of their Macs today. Innocent Drinks’ founders tell a story about how their customers demanded they quit their proper jobs to grow their new company.

#6 Relevant Sensory Oddity

How this works: By surprising a consumer’s senses in a way that’s relevant to the product experience, companies create experiences that are worth talking bout.

Real world examples: Rolex watches became sought-after partially because they were bigger than other watches. Abercrombie & Fitch stands out by creating stores that are darker and louder than the competition.

#7 Icons

How this works: By creating products that become symbols, companies can evoke powerful feelings in their customers.

Real world examples: Red Bull’s cans are iconic because of the energy the company stands for and the way its cans look. The Volkswagen Beetle’s unusual shape helps it stand out.

#8 Tribalism

How this works: Just as a virus can spread rapidly among people who share the same space, a message can spread faster among a group that shares the same headspace.

Real world examples: I’ll give you just one because it’s so unexpected and clever. It’s hard to imagine how a show like Cirque du Soleil would create a sense of tribalism, but they do it by creating an environment specifically so its audience can to mingle before each performance.

#9 Endorsement

How this works: Bertrand talked about an endorsement that comes when credible members of the tribe stand behind the brand. (Versus the kind that comes from big name celebrities.)

Real world examples: Social media celebrities, AJ & Gary  Vaynerchuk are building an online fan-base for Gillette.  Ryan Holmes told us how having internet entrepreneur Steve Case as a customer helps his product, HootSuite, get credibility with the tech set.

#10 Continuity

How this works: Brands need to create consistent stories where there is no disconnect between how a product is designed, marketed and perceived.

Real world examples: Red Bull communicates its fun, rebellious, outlaw brand by going beyond traditional media and staging events that are true to its message. Innocent Drinks stays true to its promise of taking care of its customers by using 100% recycled plastic bottles which help take care of its customers’ environment.

Full program includes

– Learn how YOU can use the 10 engines of conversational capitalism to get people talking about YOUR business.

– Hear more examples than I listed above so you can understand and USE these ideas to get more people talking about YOUR company.

– See how you can create a brand that people will gravitate to.

Who should we feature on Mixergy? Let us know who you think would make a great interviewee.

x