Experiences are an interesting concept and I’ve partaken in three recently that all differed enormously.
I’m sitting sipping a grande Cinnamon Dolce Latte (indulgent I know but its my treat for the day) at the home of phenomenal experiences Starbucks.
Everything about the Starbucks ethos, promise, atmosphere, staff and products wants me to come back again and again. If I need a coffee when I’m in a new town, Starbucks will always be my first choice because they have mastered the experience of drinking a cup of coffee whilst relaxing on a comfortable sofa or working on your laptop at a table. I’m not actually sipping coffee; I’m taking part in a lifestyle experience which appeals to where I am right now in my life and no matter where I go its always the same.
Contrast this to my experience of a long-established British record superstore; HMV and you couldn’t get two experiences more far apart.
I was in one of their two shops in Manchester earlier this morning – just me, one other customer and five staff in the shop. I was interested in buying some CD’s in the sale but although I knew of the bands I wasn’t entirely sure which CD’s I preferred. I’m familiar with listening stations being provided in Barnes & Noble and Virgin so I asked where their listening station was so that I could make my choice.
I was told fairly abruptly that they don’t have them and none of them work anyway. I enquired how I was to make a choice over which CD’s to buy and was informed that most people knew what they wanted when they came in.
There was no offer to find a CD player for me so that I could listen to them, no offer of an alternative; may’be their other store had listening posts that worked [in case you are wondering, they didn’t- the listening posts were dead and the glamorous computer-based post was also kaput] or mayb’e he could have asked what I had so that he could describe to me what each band was like. He could even have offered to play them on the store sound system with it being 9:05 on a Wednesday morning – not really peak time is it.
Needless to say, I didn’t buy anything – I did pick up 2 DVD’s that looked interesting but the experience was dashed for me.
Manchester isn’t my home base and I’m certainly not normally here on a Wednesday morning but last night I attended the first networking event run by a sourcing company based in the area. It was certainly interesting. I reckon there were upwards of 40-50 investors there that had made the trip – many local but some as far away as Scotland, London and my good self from East Northants.
Check-in was very good with clear directions as to where to go and names ticked off a list but no name badges issued.
The team certainly seemed friendly and I had a good chat with the MD’s sidekick who’s name I forget but he seemed a sound bloke together with some of the staff.
The premise that we were lured to the event was to understand how they have bought 200 houses in 2 years; what strategies they are using to combat the credit crunch and loads of other top info and opportunities they were going to share with us – plus free food which is always a big draw for me.
Forgive me if I seem somewhat blase about this but I don’t actually recall learning any of the above and after talking to several other investors, they shared my feelings.
There were lots of talk about how buying their ready made deals was the best thing to do and to be honest, I would if a) they stacked up and b) I had a good reliable letting agent to let them. I may have found (b) but (a) is still sadly lacking for me. That, coupled with a fairly unique way of delivering a presentation – picture 40-odd investors all squashed into a corner of a bar standing up whilst the PA blasts out to the entire pub – and you might be forgiven for thinking we were at a rally to hoist the flags and put up sandbags at our doors.
So, whilst I will certainly keep my eye on their ready-made deals and purchase one if it stacks up, I won’t be going to another one of their networking evenings in the near future.
So, why am I going on about all of these different experiences?
Well for me experiences are a key part of life and experiences are what you remember long after the event.
A very ordinary event, shopping trip, eating out, concert or even a simple coffee can be turned into a great experience if that organization is focused upon providing you with the best experience possible.
Many of you will know that I run a popular networking group in Northampton and London. It’s a fairly small intimate group (generally no more than 30) that meet on a bi-monthly basis to take part in a mastermind session to improve their general property knowledge, learn from established experts and network with fellow like-minded investors.
The crucial difference that I believe we offer is that we offer a mastermind session at the end of each session to enable you to get the answers to any of your questions. We’ve had investors find the finance they need for a venture, link up with a JV partner, start up a new business and be re-assured that others have been in their shoes.
My aim is to provide a experience that will leave you motivated to follow-up on the strategies we teach, excited to learn more at our next event and keen to continue your property journey with us.
If you’d like to attend our next event and you haven’t signed up to receive your personal invitation, then please go to www.propertysuccessgroup.com now.
I guarantee that every investor can learn something new at every event they go to and we have investors attend with no properties right through to property-buying magnets with multiple units. Everyone learns something; everyone takes something away from the experience and crucially, if you have any questions or want some help – I, my team and the other investors there will do whatever we can to help you.
So, be aware of the experiences you encounter and hopefully we’ll be meeting very soon.