Ben Folds has been on my bucket list for a long time. You'd think living in the live music capital of the world I would have had the opportunity to see him at least once. So what would make me fly halfway across the country to catch him at The Moore Theater in Seattle? The experience.
The experience era is making it easier than ever for brands to find and cultivate stories. It's created an environment where they are able to generate additional content by capitalizing on the stories we tell. My trip to Seattle didn't just create commerce for American Airlines, Starbucks, Uber, The Moore Theater, and of course, Ben Folds, I wrote stories about them. My point is that a desire for an experience led to additional revenue and stories were born out of this experience that expanded reach - like the one picked up by CrowdAlbum.
The Shift from Service to Experience
I read an article recently on ANA.net that spoke about how "tech-enabled automation is creating a shift in the economy from a focus on service to one on experiences." I couldn't help but think about how this shift is enabling brands to capitalize on the experience-based stories we share on social media in order to create engagement, brand enthusiasts and help tell their bigger story. In turn, experience is quickly becoming the new commerce.
There's a mindset shift taking place that a bucket list should be more than wishful thinking - but rather a way of life - and by default creating consumerism focused on experience instead of product. A great example is the tiny house revolution. People are opting for smaller homes (product) in order to enjoy a larger lifestyle (experience). It's created a niche market for the construction industry and the byproduct is countless stories shared on multiple platforms based on homeowners' experiences. And it's spreading like wildfire.
The construction industry is clearly offering a service/product, but marketing has generated a need - through the use of storylines told on various channels - that are so compelling consumers are seeking out contractors with the ability to help create more of the same.
Stories via blogs: Tiny House Blog is just one of many sources talking about the tiny house lifestyle. The contributors share concepts, how-tos, floor plans and links to houses for sale. They even host a tiny house podcast. It's a great example of a multi-media resource for those interested in learning more about tiny housing. Instagram is another channel they use to share tiny stories through photos. The result? An engaged audience who in turn, share stories with the blog.
Stories via Facebook: While scrolling through my Facebook feed, I was presented with an ad for Reclaimed Space in Austin, Texas. Based on intel, Facebook knew I'd be the perfect candidate for this brand. I'm in the midst of house hunting, I love upcycled items and I've done my share of research on custom builds made from reusable items like storage containers. So it wasn't a stretch to share this brand's story with me in hopes that we'd connect. Reclaimed Space's page is filled with images and stories of projects that make an "upcycler" (Is that a word?) giddy with desire. And it's turned me into a brand enthusiast willing to share their story with anyone looking to build a custom, upcycled tiny home in the Austin area.
Stories via Television: Navigate to HGTV and you'll find four shows dedicated to tiny houses: Tiny House Builders, Tiny House Hunters, Tiny Luxury and Tiny House, Big Living. Each show focuses on a different aspect of the tiny industry and subsequent experience(s). HGTV's stories continue on all of the major social media channels with ample opportunities for their audience to engage and share their own tiny stories. And they do, thus creating a larger story for HGTV.
All of these channels speak to a product (a tiny house), but it's the experience and the stories we share around these experiences that holds the real power. Now that I've checked Ben off the bucket list, I think it's time for me to put more of that list into action - next up, John Hiatt. After all, it's becoming an experience economy and out of that, a story is born.