by Joy Johnson on May 8, 2012
As I listened to talk about Facebook getting it’s IPO, I started thinking about how it took off and MySpace died. Why? My conclusion is “packaging.” MySpace was butt-ugly. Just hideous. Pages would absolutely hurt your eyes. It was the best example I can think of for “don’t do it just because you can.” Otherwise, the functions were similar, right?
I first saw Facebook back in 2006, my reaction was very much the same as my reaction to Google when it first came out. There was a clean white page – no clutter – no hideous flashing animated gifs. There was just clean functionality that allowed my own mind the time and space to function without fighting through, and against, all of the other sensory input.
I’ve long held the belief that about 80% of all of life relates directly to the packaging. Your success relates to how you package yourself – keeping in mind that different kinds of people are drawn to different packaging. Successfully merchandising requires the right packaging. Mates are generally considered packaging first.
When you examine the outcome, especially on the web, and I think it’s true in all of life, good design principals count – a whole lot – and keeping that interface crisp and clean with a lot of open space wins every time. If MySpace had just controlled the hideous clutter, there would be no Facebook today.
The lesson is this. The easiest way to be hugely successful is to find something that is already successful, then rebuild it without it’s flaws. Rebuilding without flaws is often simply a matter of editing.
by Joy Johnson on April 25, 2012
I was intrigued by an article posted by Guy Kawasaki on Facebook and one of his friend’s responses. The article talked about the steps a spa took to make sure the Groupon experience was a good one. The adamant response on Facebook was that the article couldn’t possibly be true because, basically, everyone knows that spa owners don’t have good Groupon experiences. It’s a prime example of getting out of life what you put into it.
As a Groupon spa consumer, I can tell you that some vendors treat you as though you are their very best customer and even refer to “next time” using a very gentle selling technique that ends up making you feel as though you’d like to be a long-term client. You just really want that treatment 
you just weren’t booked for today. People buy spa services for their “entertainment” value. It’s an escape from reality – that sense of being someone “rich and famous” for a few hours, of being pampered – and we call it a “necessity.” It’s the same principal Starbucks uses to sell liquid desserts at breakfast and call it “coffee.” I don’t know anyone who actually buys “coffee” at Starbucks, but I digress.
No matter how pampered you are, you want “more” and the best spas deliver. Others treat you as though you’re somehow substandard – a coupon shopper who is never coming back – someone who’s interfering with the employee’s ability to get “paying” work done.
Guess what? The results are exactly what they make them. Spas are the kind of business you’re loyal to for a time, but because so much of it is experience based, after awhile you start looking for a new experience. It’s nice to check out a new spa without getting stuck for the full price when you don’t know if you and the spa are a good match. So, for me, everything the guy in the article said has a ring of truth to it. From my perspective as a consumer, and a business consultant, that is exactly the way you make it work.
