You Aren't Mad When Your Favorite Brand Releases a New Product—And Neither Are Your Customers

I have this one tradition which is going to sound entirely fucking pompous but I’m going to say it, anyway, because there is a point and WE LOVE POINTS.

One new pair of designer sunglasses every summer.

It’s a small luxury, but one that I greatly enjoy, because the best rewards are the impractical ones; the little delights that elevate your life out of the ordinary. For me, it is not so much about the product, but the ritual of it all; the ceremony of honoring myself and my work. (Because if you don’t honor you, who will?)

Every season, it’s something new. Last year, I was rocking the new Pradas. This year, I’ve got my eye on Célene. And every season, I get really, really excited to see what’s coming out next. Because that’s what you do when you’re a fan: you wait in anticipation for the latest and greatest. I’m SURE you do the same with something else: maybe it’s the new iPhone, or the new book by your favorite author. The last time they released a new product, you weren’t mad about it, were you?

No! You were excited.

And that’s exactly the thing that we forget, when we’re on the other side of the table: our customers want us to create new things. They want us to make a big fuss. They want us to get them excited.

Because when you love a brand, you want to be a part of it. And for each and every customer, buying from that brand is the best way to do that.

How would your business change if you thought that people weren’t bothered by your promotions, but thrilled by them? How would your approach change if you thought that people were waiting for you to sell them something—not dreading it?

Sometimes, feeling welcome in your own business can change everything.