Many clients say they want to create a feeling of “wow.”

But, there is a spectrum of wow experiences, and it is important to find the right place on that spectrum for your business, product or service.

On one end is the, “OMG, I couldn’t believe it, it was sooooo cooooool” kind of wow. This is a fun sort of wow and best experienced in person. However, “OMG wows” tend to be momentary in nature; the power of the experience, while intense in the moment, fades quickly away. Also, it is very hard to convey the full feeling of that kind of wow to other people – too much is lost in the translation. “You had to be there” is hardly a way to convey the impact of that wow moment.

On the other end of the wow spectrum is the “meaningful wow,” as in, “I like this, this matters to me, this moves me, wow.” This sort of wow is more shareable, because through writing and word of mouth, the emotional importance of the story can be conveyed through choice of words, tone of voice, and the way the storyteller makes the story personally relevant to the reader/listener. Strong “meaningful wows” are rarely forgotten, often internalize, readily shared and happily acted upon.

For many businesses, products and services, an “OMG, wow” really isn’t credible or appropriate. On the other hand, almost any business, product or service should try to create moments closer to the “meaningful wows” end of the spectrum whenever possible.

Understated, yet heartfelt, these emotional responses are things that go deep, stay inside and change the way people think and act.