Delighters
Small, unexpected pleasures are remembered long after the features are forgotten.
What it is
A witty empty state, a handwritten note in the parcel, a confetti burst on completion. None of these are why people buy, but they are what people tell others about. They work because they are unexpected and because they signal that a person cared. Overused, they become expected and stop working.
The research
Attributes that customers do not expect but enjoy produce disproportionate satisfaction, while their absence causes no dissatisfaction, unlike basic and performance attributes.
Kano, 1984
How to use it
One surprise per journey
Pick the moment after the first success and put something human there.
Make it personal, not generic
A note that references the customer's actual project is a delighter. A branded sticker is packaging.
Related
Sources that shaped this entry: growth.design.