Expectations

I recently became snared in the Costco trap. I went to Costco recently to purchase razor blades. They did not have the blades I normally use so I bought a new brand razor with four blades in the cartridge instead of my normal three. I had no idea what the benefit of the fourth blade was. I decided to purchase the new razor pack with 20 extra cartridges. The 20 extra cartridges is the Costco trap. Purchasing inexpensive products in bulk that can take years to consume.

During my next shaving experience, I immediately found out the danger of the fourth blade. It's there to disfigure your face. While attempting to control the bleeding, I decided I was going back to my old three blade brand. My previous razor gave a much smoother shave and was easier to use.

The following shaving experience with my trusty three blade brand went flawlessly. I remember thinking how superior this razor was compared to the one that hacked my face. As I reached down to put the razor away, I was shocked I had used the wrong one, my weapon of facial destruction, the Costco razor.

I was surprised how easily my mind was deceived by this trivial incident. My expectations completely changed my perceptions. There is a marketing lesson to be learned from this experience.

Positive expectations increase the chances of a positive experience.
Negative expectations increase the chances of a negative experience.

This simple lesson explains how branding creates loyalty. You are loyal to brands because you expect the same positive experience, time and again. Using a trusted brand relieves you of the stress of having to make a choice every time you purchase (you wouldn’t normally switch unless you found a product that greatly exceeded the expectations of the old brand). A slight improvement is not enough.

Because we’re inclined to stick with our favorite brands, we often don’t try other products for comparison’s sake. One very powerful method to obtain new customers that are using a competitor is to simply give your product away. Show people who think they’re happy with a product that yours is superior.

Naturally, your brand has to continually provide customers with a quality product or service. Never give them a reason to consider switching to a competitor. Happy customers are usually loyal customers. Loyal customers tell other people about the positive experiences they’ve had, and thus create positive expectations for future customers.

" A very important aspect of motivation is the willingness to stop and look at things that no one else has bothered to look at. The simple process of focusing on things normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity"
– Edward de Bono