648: (Solo) Why the Best Brands Create Moments, Not Just Products

Hey founder fam, I want to talk to you about something super exciting. We're officially partnered with Omnison, the email marketing and SMS platform built specifically for e-commerce founders. We've been recommending Omnison to founder students for a while now because it just works. Whether you're launching your first store or you're scaling the seven figures, it really helps you automate your marketing and get real results. Did you know on average Omnison customers make $68 for every $1 they spend, which is an insanely good return on investment. And because you're part of the founder community, you get 50% off your first three months with the code Founder50. Just head to Omnison.com/Founder without the A to get started. All right, now I'll jump back into the show. Hey guys, Nathan here. Welcome back to another founder to founder, podcast, solo, episode. Today I want to break down a really simple but powerful concept that I recently came across and I think it's something every e-con founder should be thinking about because this highlights a key truth about building brands. And that is the brands that win. Don't just deliver products. They create moments. And I came across this idea from one of our course instructors Camille More, who talks about something called the overflow effect. And if you don't know who Camille is, she is incredible at branding. She has a branding agency. She works with a lot of big e-con brands. She is amazing. And she really knows how to create a brand that stands out and gets cut through. And she's incredible, absolutely incredible. You've got to check out her program on the founder plus platform. But basically once you see it, you start noticing it everywhere. So what I want to break down is why it works so well and how you can apply this idea to your own brand and how you can create moments. So let's dive in. Here are the stories. Learn the proven methods and accelerate your growth and future through entrepreneurship. Welcome to the founder podcast with Nathan Chan. Here's the concept. There's a well-known burger chain that does something really interesting with their fries. When you order fries, then I just give you what fits neatly into a cup. They actually give you a full cup. And then they add even more on top. So when you open the bag, there are fries overflowing everywhere. Now on paper, it's a very small detail. But in reality, this creates a very specific feeling. That's what we call surprise and delight plus generosity. So when you open the bag and think, wow, there's way more here than I expected. Did they do this on purpose? Well, that's actually pretty generous and can meal talk through this concept in her TikTok video. If you want to see it, you know, we have a link to it in the show notes. But what we know is that once that happens, that moment sticks. And what's happening here is something called the law of reciprocity. So when someone gives us more than we expect, we naturally feel the urge to give something back. And Robert Chaldeen talks about this as one of his principles of influence. It's one of my favorite marketing books of all time. So the law of reciprocity is very, very, very powerful. In this case, that's something back might look like telling a friend posting about it, leaving a review, sharing it online, and most importantly, going back again. And that's where this becomes super powerful for brands because that small moment of generosity turns into word of mouth, user generated content, repeat customers. And here's the key. The cost of that extra handful of fries is actually just minimal, but the impact is massive. And that's what we call an asymmetric upside. An example of this from an e-commerce store would be like a brand like a door beauty, where they added a timetam biscuit to every order or a new medical based the owner brand, Laurie Antt, that puts a thoughtful and personalized handwritten note in every online order. So it's a small cost that gives a disproportionate large return. So most e-commerce brands focus heavily on the product, the price, the ads, the website, and all of these are important, but they overlook the experience. But most importantly, the surprise and delight of how you make people feel. And that's fundamentally what makes a brand standout. It's the difference between a good brand, a great iconic brand and an okay brand is they make you feel something. And I know what many of you guys would be thinking, well, if they deliver what was promised, isn't that enough? But in today's market, meeting expectations is not enough to stand out because every brand is doing that. And the brands that grow faster are the ones that really create moments, people remember moments that make customers feel something. And we're entering a time where products are easier than ever to replicate. AI is accelerating content, competition is increasing and differentiating your brand is getting harder. So what actually makes a brand standout? It's a motion. How does that product make someone feel? Surprise, delighted, understood, excited because if you can create a feeling, you can create memorability and that memorability drives retention, referrals, loyalty, and most importantly, word of mouth. That is the number one thing that is so hard to measure, but is so incredibly powerful. Now the important question might be asking is, well, this all sounds great now. Then how the hell do I apply this? Well, the overflow effect doesn't have to be literal. It can show up in many different ways, like adding a small, unexpected bonus package. The best brands, they actually thank their customers and give them a coupon, they give them a gift card, they give them something. A handwritten note is important, but a lot of people do that now. But it's a start over delivering on packaging or presentation, providing more value than it's expected. It's the surprise, it's the delight, it's the experience, creating a moment that really feels thoughtful in generous. Because I tell you what, people hate to be sold to, but they love to buy. So how can you make that buying experience just so incredibly joyful? I don't know about you guys, but when you open up, you know, that Apple box, whether it's a iPad, whether it's a iPhone, whether it's a new laptop, even if it's an iMac, they have just nailed that whole experience. So the key thing to take away here is the law of reciprocity, give more than expected in a way that feels intentional because when customers feel heard and seen and surprised and received more than they paid for, they remember it and more importantly, they talk about it. So here's the big takeaway, the best brands don't just deliver products, they create experiences that people truly remember. Because when you make your customer feel something, you give them a reason to come back, share and stay. And truly be connected to your brand and that's how you build a deeper relationship than most companies do. And often those moments don't require massive investment, just intentionality. Now, if you want to go deeper on this concept about building a brand that truly stands out, we have an incredible program on Founder Plus with Camille Moore called the e-commerce branding blueprint. You can try it out as part of our Founder Plus membership for just one dollar and she breaks down exactly how to create these kind of emotional memorable brand experiences that drive real growth. So if you're serious about building a brand not just a product, I'd highly recommend checking out this program. It is incredible. Just go to Founder.com/membership, sign up for a dollar trial. Alright, that's it from me. I'll speak to you soon.