What makes certain products gain mass appeal, acquire a dedicated following, and draw customers to wait in line for the latest version? Why do some restaurants book out weeks in advance and create buzz among would-be patrons? How are certain employees able to energize their colleagues and elicit enthusiastic participation during meetings? What sets these notable products, services, and employees apart is their flair, say authors Jim and Jennifer Poage in their new book, Flair: Design Your Daily Work, Products, and Services to Energize Your Customers, Colleagues, and Audiences.

“Anyone can create effective flair,” says Jim Poage. “And not only in products and services but in their own daily work – in reports, presentations, and meetings.”

After researching why certain products, services, and individual work were successes, the Poages concluded that to be successful an offering must engage customers, colleagues, and audiences emotionally (all are customers) and excite them to pursue the offering. This excitement results from what they call “flair,” an engaging element built into or around the offering that captivates the customers.

“For products and services, effective flair brings increased sales at a premium price and fosters an enduring positive reputation,” says Jennifer Poage. “And for someone’s everyday work, effective flair inspires colleagues and audiences to follow up on the work results, which helps them stand out and move ahead in their career.”

The Poages note that there are six elements of flair:

• Story: Tell a story about the offering.
• Entertainment: Have the offering entertain the customers.
• Experience: Create pleasant, even happy, customer experiences.
• Sincerity: Construct flair to accurately reflect the offering.
• Excellence: Be sure the offering is high quality so it doesn’t disappoint.
• Energy: Strive to energize the customers.

To create effective flair, the offering should include at least several of these elements. Flair is effective if it energizes customers to act – to buy, adopt, or follow up on the offering.

The bottom line, according to the Poages, is that for flair to be effective, a product, service, or work result needs to have a meaningful and joyful essence, one that causes customers to find it desirable emotionally as well as rationally.

Flair is available from most storefront and online bookstores. For more information visit mavenhousepress.com/the-boomers-ultimate-guide-to-social-media-marketing.