I think sometimes as business owners, you can forget what it is that creates value. This was a hot topic in our house and around the office this week as we had a personal reminder of the “illusion of value”. Let me start with the story that sparked this topic. Each of our 3 girls has some unique element in their room that makes it special to them. Sage has a book wall, Ayla has jungle wallpaper, and I was not sure what to do in Lenna’s room for the longest time. Her room has adopted this bohemian vibe with flowers, mismatched wood, and nature. One day, two years ago I was scrolling Instagram and came across this account of a woman from Paris who makes “House Gowns” (you might call them curtains).

They were stunning. I swooned over her Instagram page for months until finally reaching out to inquire about the cost. She happily got on a FaceTime call with me, looked at the space, gave me some great direction and promised I’d stay in touch. They were out of my budget at the time. For the next year and a half I set money aside for these, visiting her page often to see new styles and clients around the world.

A few months ago, we agreed the time was right and we made the investment. The service was phenomenal. It was personal in every way. We shared stories, exchanged photos of the room and material, and she quickly got to work on the order. The day came and the package arrived. Was it going to be worth it?

I opened the box and was hit with what smelled like the “scent of luxury” - the fragrance of blossoming flowers jumped from the box filling the room and in seconds as I carefully opened each piece - I was in love with them!

I reached out in complete joy to express my satisfaction and ask what in the world the perfume or scent was coming from the box?

The answer literally stopped me in my tracks….fabric softener (the equivalent of Downy) that you can purchase for about $5.00.

(Yes, we bought it…)

But we talked after about this perception of value that added something so special to receiving these gowns. What was it? The answer to me is simple. Sera, who created these gowns, also created an experience. She was warm, kind, understanding, and somewhat mysterious. Her work and the quality of material used was second to none. The handwritten note with washing instructions was sweet. The scent was added and thoughtful but created magic when you opened the box. Every detail was thoughtful. They were worth every penny.

What is your fabric softener? Not literally, but how are YOU creating this perception of value? It is not just the products you use. It is not just the quality of your work. It is not just your customer service - but is your WOW factor that takes clients from thinking they made a good investment to be 100% sure they made a good investment?

Value is not just created. It is curated. It is an experience that can only be cultivated by you and your team.

Hope this sparks some inspiration…

LM