People buy stories, yes, but also experiences.

And experiences are what the customer/client wants; successful companies (Starbucks, Disney) know that. And those of us who are devotee's of Tom Peters know that, too.

But let me stretch the gray matter here a little.

Stories ARE the experience when you are selling a product or service through the virtual realm as the first point of contact or your service IS the virtual realm as the only point of contact (i.e. - MarketingProfs, events like Santa Barbara aside.)

Therefore, our ability to communicate as marketers--no, our ability to be top-notch wordsmiths--is even more essential today than even a few years ago.

I doubt this happens in all markets and industries. Are we to believe that people buying all products and services do so for stories? When people buy groceries or have their car fixed or countless other situations, why would you think they don't buy based on needs (i.e., benefits)?

Regarding point 4, I think the story can be the basis for deciding to buy your groceries at Store A versus Store B. This is especially true when getting your car fixed. I have gone out of my way to get my car fixed at a place recommended to me by a friend.

Of course, I think point 4 is assuming that the story is one that relates the benefits of that customer's experience. However, negative stories spread faster and are more influential relative to positive stories. Therefore, I think a lot of companies need to focus like a laser beam on first "doing no harm" then on "going the extra mile."

Well where do you get your groceries? Walmart or Whole Foods, both have stories, and both are in the minority of groceries that are growing.

How about trader joes? Anyone that has a trader joes in their vicinity will know about it. Why, because all their friends will always be trying to get you to try their inredibly cheap, but excelent wine :-)

As for stories vs. experience, I think they are two sides of the same coin and in many ways they work together. The story is the "promise" of what's going to happen, how your going to feel, what you are going to be associated with. and the experience is the "fullfillment" of that promise. Sometimes companies create a great story, and have a crap experience. Good story then, does not equal good experience. Some companies have a crap story, and a great experience, they are the gems we find and wonder how you never heard of them before.

In the end your experience with a company will start to blend with the marketing narrative to give you your own personal story/history.

This in many ways is the same old brand vs. experience argument that has been going on for a few years.

We know from experience that people buy more than just a story, but that the companies with the best experiences often tell a compelling one.

People purchase today for comfort, habit or associative reasons. They buy because of relationship, service and trust. They also purchase based on price and value tradeoffs.

They COME BACK and continue to purchase based on their cumulative experience.

Smart marketers know that the experience balances all these things (and so much more) to create a compelling offer. Today's compelling experience transcends channels... which is why marketers are not in control, have less power and more responsibility than ever before.

And none of us matters as much as we think we do... that's just a sobering reality!

I think that the wisdom for a marketer is to listen to children who has got many things to teach us about CRM and Customer Driven Innovation!
Marketers are not as powerful as we could think at first sight : we can assist to a consumer empowerment phenomena, better, the power belongs now to children! You don’t believe it? Read the article witch inquire us how Apple Computer recently held a meeting to discuss changes to its corporate policy after the company sent an upsetting legalese reply to a third-grade girl who had hand-written a letter to chief executive Steve Jobs with her thoughts on improving the iPod. The link here : http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1672

Leigh, pithily said. Thanks for connecting the dots so adroitly.

I think that the stories issue depends on the economics of the market and the store. I hate to say it, but I believe that most people will do what is good for their wallet. They are not going to shop with someone based on a story that is told. I feel that the thought of stories bringing in customers probably works better on higher end stores.

This post by Seth harkens back to some of the thoughts in the Cluetrain Manifesto. If you missed it during 1999-2000 (pre-Internet bubble burst), it's definitely still worth a read.

"A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the Internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share relevant knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting smarter—and getting smarter faster than most companies."

"These markets are conversations. Their members communicate in language that is natural, open, honest, direct, funny and often shocking. Whether explaining or complaining, joking or serious, the human voice is unmistakably genuine. It can't be faked."

Einstein once said "Innovation is not the product of logical thought, even though the final product is tied to a logical structure".