The Experience Economy: Work Is Theater & Every Business a Stage,   ISBN:9780875848198

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We all pay admissions to get into Disneyland, museums, country parks and even universities. What if I tell you that, in the future, you will be charged a fee for setting foot in a Nike shop or Starbucks? You must find this notion repulsive. But why is it that you feel obliged to pay the former group but offended to pay the latter? Is it just because of the very nature of the places (we should pay an admission fee to theme parks but not shopping malls)? Of course not, for we will be more than happy to pay to enter a Nike shop if it will add a Roller Coaster, plant some trees, showcase some wild animals and yes, bring us a world of fantasy. In the end, what separates companies which can charge an admission fee from those which cannot (without infuriating customers) depends on their ability to stage memorable and worthwhile experience. In The Experience Economy, the authors believe that the traditional way of dividing sectors of economy into agriculture/ extraction of raw materials, industry and service is obsolete. A nascent sector, which is very often overlooked or mistakenly fused with service, emerged in the latter half of 20th century and is called "the experience sector".

Review the first group of places again and see if you can identify a common trait. In fact, they all primarily sell experiences. Although goods and services are also involved in the process, they are a means but not an end. The authors argue that people scrimp on goods and services to pay for what they find more valuable: experiences. Experiences are valuable because they are relevant to the customers and engage them in a personal way. Recall the last time you visited a haunted attraction (e.g. Ocean Park Halloween Bash in Hong Kong) when you literally paid to be scared. You lavished hundreds of dollors for nothing tangible, nothing akin to a service - but congratulations, you got an unique experience which made headline in your exchanges with family and friends while it lingered on your mind for months, if not years.

Companies in the experience sector charge more, reap repeated patronage and enjoy higher customer loyalty than those considered to be purely service providers (Starbucks charges 5 times more for a cup of coffee than your neighbouring coffee shop when the production costs vary only slightly). If they dare push it to the extreme, they could even consider charging admission fees. The prerequisite? Coordinate every details of your business as if you are putting up a show in a theatre, treat customers as your guests, indulge them in memorable experiences which make them feel embarrassed not to pay for.

If you find what I wrote make sense to you, you might be interested in reading some of my other marketing and business ideas in my blog: [...]

Customer Rating: 

If only the writers of this ambitious work had used the concepts they discuss in their writing and presentation. The amount of flawed reasoning simply has to be mentioned, it is unfortunate. Although I am passionate about the subject of themed entertainment, getting through this thick, dull, unexciting and at times logic-stretching book is calling forth every last reserve of self-will and determination. My eyelids get heavy every time I open this book, but I am determined to make it through. A marathon without water, sad to say!

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The One book needed for every one that wants to develop experiences in nature, and earn a reputation as well as money.
See the quick version too.

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They worked very hard to make sure my order processed and shipped within 24 hours. The book is new and fantastic.

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Many have noticed that America is importing more and more goods from places where it is more economical to manufacture them than here in the U.S., .Mexico and China come immediately to mind.and have commented that America's economy has turned into a service-based economy. Yet, even our services are now being sent to foreign countries so that corporations can save money; think "technical support" for computer applications, for example. In their book, The Experience Economy: Work is Theatre & Every Business a Stage, Joseph Pine and Jim Gilmore (1999) introduce their readers to a new era of consumer-focused marketing.an era that goes beyond the delivery of goods and services, and into delivering consumer experiences. The authors present clear evidence and case studies that business owners who compete on the basis of price are commoditizing their value offerings; and that those who deliver compelling, memorable, and transformational experiences to their customers are pioneering and leading this economy revolution known as The Experience Economy. The Experience Economy provides insights into how successful businesses have moved into the new age of experience marketing, and Pine and Gilmore present a logical blueprint for marketers to follow. True experiences, say Gilmore and Pine, provide a value that "lingers in the memory of any individual who was engaged by the event" (1999). In order to create those memories, an experience must deliver on guest participation and connection and even transformation.
The Experience Economy has become more than a best-selling book since its publication ten years ago; it has transformed the way not only Americans, but also people the world over, are conducting business. In this book, it is almost as though Pine and Gilmore have discovered the secret recipe, not for Coca Cola or Kentucky Fried Chicken, but for Disney World. They have captured the essence and substance of what creates success for companies marketing directly to consumers, and have spelled it out in a language that is understandable to anyone. In reading the book, the reader finds him or herself constantly nodding his or her head, agreeing with the examples provided and finally "getting it" .how they work they way they do or why they fail to work the way they were originally intended. The book provides insights not only into pop culture, but business on a much higher level.and how success will be measured, not only in the past decade but in future decades to come, by how well the business experience has integrated itself into pop culture of today. Pine and Gilmore take the current success stories: Disney, The Geek Squad, Rainforest Café, Starbucks, Cabella's, and the like, and teach their readers how to create tomorrow's experience culture. Applicable to both historians and marketers alike, it is not so much a book on the history of pop culture, as it is a visionary book on the future of marketing.