The magical bubble parade

I had a magical customer experience.

My son Asher had minor surgery. Everything turned out just fine, but ahead of time he was a little nervous. Specifically, he was concerned about being wheeled away from me, into the operating room.

Enter… The Bubble Parade!

As a parent, I felt gratitude for this small but meaningful touch. To ease his fears, the pediatric nurses created a “bubble parade” by blowing little soap bubbles from a wand as he went into the O.R. Immediately, Asher smiled and forgot to be afraid.

As a marketer, I was awed:

I’d just witnessed my son’s customer experience switch from anxiety to anticipation in less than 10 seconds.

This interaction was:

  • Simple to execute
  • Immediately beneficial
  • Virtually free
  • Replicable
  • Rewarding for both the customer and the employee

This moment reinforced my belief in the power of fascinating customer experiences to build connection and loyalty, often with little time or expense. The hospital was no longer a commodity– it was a hero.

Be a hero not a commodity Sally Hogshead

In my book Fascinate, I outline 6 Gold Hallmarks for a fascinating brand or experience.

The first Gold Hallmark is: Create a strong and immediate emotional connection.

Marketers talk about “emotional connection,” yet rarely do we help customers literally feel an emotion. When we do, we can transform our customer’s entire experience.

What is your company’s version of The Bubble Parade?

Ask yourself…

If this hospital can turn the sterile environment of the OR into a magical Bubble Parade, what tiny detail could transform your company’s customer experience?

Can you identify a pain point in your buyer’s process… and then turn it into a high point?

How can you involve your employees in the process of doing something heroic for your customer?

If you can find even just one way to engage your customers emotionally, you can switch them from avoidance to attraction. (Asher has already asked when we can go back to the hospital for another play date.)

Now, here’s my question for you:

How are you going to apply this to your own company or within your own team?

You don’t have to be a business owner to be a hero to your customers. Find a way to create your own Bubble Parade–we’d love to hear about it!

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About the author

Sally Hogshead

Sally skyrocketed to the top of the advertising world in her early 20s, fascinating millions of consumers for clients such as MINI Cooper and Coca-Cola. Since then, she’s published two New York Times bestsellers on the science of fascination, and is one of only 172 living members in the Speaker Hall of Fame. Over a million professionals have taken the Fascination Advantage® personality test to discover how others perceive their communication.

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