The holiday season has arrived along with Neiman Marcus’ annual catalog, The Christmas Book. Celebrating the 90th year of the historic publication, the storied purveyor of luxury goods offers elegant products as well as fantasy purchases that lie beyond our wildest dreams.
We culled a number of luxury lessons while perusing its latest edition…
ENTERTAIN AND BE POSITIVE
Copy and imagery should be tailored for optimism and to promote feeling good. Supplement the experience with a special extra – whether it be exclusive photography or golden tidbits on designers, brands or manufacturing processes. Luxury is meant to be enjoyed.
LOOK BEYOND PRICE
The Christmas Book features products priced from less than $50 to a $1.5 million rose gold private jet. Regardless of price, all of its offerings are undeniably luxurious.
APPEAL TO IMAGINATION
Consider the individual client or customer. How would each live with your product or service? Are you inspiring others to envision the transformation of their own lives upon exposure to your brand? Develop a sensory experience to transport audiences through sight (and/or sound). Through the use of only one or two senses, they should almost smell, touch or taste what you have to offer. You’re not just presenting potential purchases, you’re presenting a lifestyle. Imagery should be potent and multifaceted to stimulate the imagination.
BE ATTENTIVE
If luxury is revered for anything, it’s impeccable service. Neiman Marcus goes above and beyond with a live 24/7 chat feature for its holiday catalog. This is the core of the luxury experience and savvy shoppers expect nothing less.
REPRESENT DIVERSITY
Why does The Christmas Book remain the topic on everyone’s lips? They don’t neglect their customers. You’ll find models representing a myriad of ethnicities and age groups in the catalog.
GIVE BACK
Altruism is a key asset for any business. If shoppers are investing serious sums of money, do your part by giving back. Neiman Marcus paves the way with exciting philanthropical missions with the purchase of each fantasy gift. Their efforts range from matching $25 Akola Project bracelet purchases with donations of the same amount to donations of tens of thousands of dollars to the Grammy Foundation and their own organization, The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation.
EXCEED EXPECTATIONS
Anticipate clients’ wants and wishes, then elevate them beyond anything they’ve ever imagined. Meticulously attend to every last detail. The aim isn’t simply fulfilling a need but improving upon it until it evolves into something much more significant. 90 years of global success is no small feat, yet The Christmas Book continues to wow audiences. Come up with a series of actionable steps to put these principles into play before the holidays. They’re the essential ingredients for a memorable experience, leading customer service and unwavering brand loyalty.
