The WOW Factor! Giving More Value than Expected

There is more to making people happy than simply meeting their expectations. One needs to exceed expectations to truly satisfy another person's desires; this is what we call the "WOW Factor".

The moment you leave someone -- your friend, a client, a coworker, your dentist -- saying "wow" or looking like they've been wowed is the moment you have truly become impressive and successful in your task.

Instead of solely satisfying someone, try raising the bar a little: throw all your joy, energy, ideas, and helpfulness at them; whether you are at work or at a coffee shop with a friend; aim to not only satisfy them, but to WOW them!

Here are 4 methods on how to go the extra mile and WOW someone:

 

1) Stay Focused on One Thing:

In this modern generation, there is nothing easier and quicker to take us off track than the tiniest distractions; whether it is the buzz of your phone, a coworker's fingers tapping on your shoulder, or running out of coffee; distractions take you out of the workflow and once you get out of the workflow, it is difficult to get back into it.

Retaining your focus on a single task will keep you working throughout the day without significantly losing any productivity along the way. This focus does not only apply to the workplace, but to your friends and family, health and fitness, and hobbies and entertainment too.

To leave a lasting impression on both others and yourself, you need to put in the hours and get the work done. That means no distractions. Take a mental and physical break when necessary, but keep in mind that your tasks only get fully accomplished when you put in the hours and persevere.

2) Deliver More Than What is Expected:

Consider what it takes to keep customers and friends happy. There are a multitude of personality characteristics involved, such as: Trying to be beneficent, transparent, and ebullient. Avoiding being onerous, monotonous, or cant. Now by all means do not take this as an invitation to become a people pleaser, for the reason that people appreciate honesty and authenticity and generally see right through a quasi-friend.

When it comes to your work, more is always better. Doing more work is better; assisting coworkers is better; going out of your way to be helpful to clients is better. Exceed your clients', your coworkers', and your boss's expectations; and who knows, maybe you will be rewarded with a promotion, a raise, or just a simple token of appreciation. But don't aim for the reward; aim to impress; aim to exceed expectations.

This applies to your social and out-of-work life as well: aim to be a better friend, a better lover, a better stranger, and a better person overall.

3) Get to Know Your Audience:

As mentioned previously, this post does not only apply to the workplace, but to your entire life as well. So consider your audience to be anyone you are currently engaged with, conversing with, or assisting in some way.

Getting to know your audience isn't as easy as it may seem. It comes with time and effort. Imagine you are a mentalist performing on stage. As a mentalist, you will have to analyse your audience to get an understanding of their mood and the atmosphere. More importantly, you have to consider their reactions to your performances: which illusions worked and which didn't; why they worked and why they didn't; and what can be changed and offered in the future to better accommodate the audience.

Moving forward, equipping this information about your audience will prove to be exceptionally valuable for the next encounter with said audience. It will greatly improve your in-person interactions and it will act as a guide for the next first date, family dinner, or client communication.

4) Be Early:

Arriving on time is one thing, but arriving early is a whole other story. A better one. Now it may seem unnecessary to arrive earlier than expected and in some occassions you shouldn't, but when it is appropriate to do so, it becomes a sign of respect and enthusiasm.

And although this may not always be necessary, it certainly does fall under going the extra mile. Again, this applies to anything: whether it is arriving a little bit earlier to the workplace meeting or a little bit earlier to your friend's party.

Just because there is a specific time, it does not mean that you cannot go out of your way to do more in that time. If that means arriving early and leaving later, then so be it. Furthermore, people will catch on. When they notice you doing this multiple times, it will symbolise your dedication and passion.

As Tony Jeary beautifully explained in his article, "The expectations you exceed today become the seed for new opportunities in the future."

Give more than is expected from you and others will reciprocate. You will stand out like the sole sunflower in a field of grass. People will want to spend more time with you; and in exchange, they will strive to give back to you. Furthermore, this will set a new benchmark, not only for yourself to aspire to, but for those around you as well.

  Always give it your all.