Treat your customers like VIPs with augmentation

Amongst the cut-throat climate and hair-raising cost of living, the term ‘good value’ snaps us into focus with wide eyes and sharp ears, like keen money-saving meerkats.

We all want a good deal.

When we get good value for money, it reassures us that we've made the right decision in spending our money. The better the value, the more we can justify our slightly lighter wallets.

How delightful?

Imagine you buy a new phone, the phone itself is great...but what if you also got free music streaming with it? Plus some free wireless earbuds, and a charging cable all worth £100?

That's where the augmentation-induced delight kicks in. You're getting more than just the phone; you're getting a bonus that makes you happier with your purchase.

When we’re surprised, our emotions are more amplified. So when we receive added extras with our purchase, we're delighted to get an excellent deal.

And it's the same for your customer. You don’t just want to impress your customers, you want to delight them. Allow your product to genuinely make their day, surprise them, and get that serotonin kicking.

Adding extra features or services can boost the value of your product massively. This doesn't just mean making the product itself fancier; it's about creating more value for your customers in ways they might not expect.

Adding augmentation gives your product a superpower.

For marketing buffs, it's called augmentation. But essentially, it's all about adding value to your product or service to get heads turning.

Augmentation isn’t just another one of those clever little marketing tricks. It adds tons of value to your products and it will get people talking about you.

So, what can we do to give our products superpowers?

Here's 5 ways you can amp the value of your products:

• Extra 'free' stuff (e.g. delivery, installation, warranty)
• Customisation
• Selling the experience
• Teach your customers about your product
• Update your product regularly

1) Offer extra services and freebies

Think free stuff, free delivery, installation, extended warranty. It's a part of the product which reduces any anxieties and makes the product far easier to buy.

2) Let your buyers customise their own products

Allow your customers to personalise their product and make it unique to them. This adds a personal touch and amplifies it, to make it feel as though it's one-of-a-kind.

3) Sell the experience

Sometimes just the joyful experience of buying the product can help to sell it. It can be about the aesthetic, or the actual experience of receiving it.

Think the free glass of prosecco at a salon, or the free beer at the barbers. Design packaging that looks good to open, ensure you're providing super-friendly customer service, make the experience enjoyable.

4) Create tutorials around your product

Tutorials and workshops around your product can help add value to your product.

Not only does this make them feel like they are learning something - it will make them feel even more satisfied with their purchase and confident that they made the right decision so they have all the information they need about your product.

5) Update your product regularly

Keep your product fresh and keep it aligned with industry trends and make changes in response to product feedback. Adding new features and improvements around the product will show you're committed to giving your customers the best possible experience.

It's the cherry on top

Getting added extras is like eating the cherry on top of a desert, or winning a tenner on a scratchcard. It's these little added moments of joy that matter the most, and it could just be the crucial difference between a one-time buyer, and a forever loyal customer.

Selling a product is like a stage performance, you need to convince your customer that your product is the best thing since sliced bread. That's why you'd convey it with a polished, showcase marketing performance that keeps your customer entertained and engaged the whole way through.

And, like all successful shows, you'll need to add some twists and turns in your marketing to keep building your customer's interest and get them truly hooked.

Adding augmentation to your product could just be the plot twist that makes your customer solidify their decision. Revealing augmentation gives the illusion that your customer is getting something completely free, it gives reasons to keep buying your product - and that's why it's so valuable.

Because by increasing the value of your service or product, you're reassuring your customers that they're not just buying a product, they're buying a forever solution.