So what’s your green grass?
Our family visited the ultra-chic ‘The Domain‘ shopping mall in Austin, Texas this past weekend. The Domain has been open for 3 years now, but it has grandiose plans to burst beyond its current layout.
The afternoon was gorgeous for Central Texas in mid-April: cloudy and breezy with temperatures in the upper 60s. Since residents of Austin know that summer’s furious, relentless heat is knocking on the door everyone soaked up a neatly-wrapped Spring present from Mother Nature.
We cruised around the newly-minted Phase II of the Domain and were very impressed with the clean, sharp layout. A groovy band entertained the shoppers. Freshly-opened stores eagerly greeted visitors.
Along one stretch, we saw a blindingly-green stretch of grass — only 10 foot wide by 25 wide long. (The landscaping throughout the newest phase of the Domain was immaculate in form and function.) The grass was so green that many walked over and wanted to get an up-close look. In just a 5 minute span, 10 people were stopped in their tracks by the emerald paradise. Many reached down and touched the grass. Our kids pranced from one stretch of the faux-grass to the other. It was a little touch of Augusta National’s verdant grandeur in Central Texas.
- What is your business’ green grass?
- What are you doing to get customers to ‘interact’ with your product?
- Can your customers ‘touch’, ‘smell’, ‘feel’ what you’d offer if they were customers?
The Domain is hardly selling grass — they are selling an experience. I want to come back not just because of the dazzling high-end shops and restaurants, but because of the remarkably different feel. It’s hardly your ‘regular’ shopping mall, but a welcomed departure from the bland, lifeless shopping malls of the 80s.
What is the experience that you are trying to give to your customers and can you give them a sample before they sign-up? Focus on solving your customer’s problems and they’ll gladly pay.
Strive to make your business/service remarkable and you’ll get your customers talking and then walking on your green grass ‘ready to spend’.
Until next time,
Dan Naden
