Focus on Customer Experience, Not Just Product Features, Urges Jason Feifer

In a recent LinkedIn post, Jason Feifer discusses a fundamental shift in how businesses should approach marketing and customer engagement, arguing that the focus should be on the customer’s experience rather than the product’s features.

Feifer highlights a common pitfall for many companies: talking about their products in technical jargon or feature-centric language that doesn’t resonate with the average consumer. He posits that the key to effective communication lies in understanding and articulating the actual experience a product or service provides.

“Nobody cares about your product. Here’s what they actually care about: Their experience.”

As Feifer points out, this distinction is crucial for cutting through the noise and connecting with an audience on a deeper level. He uses a compelling example from Volkswagen to illustrate his point. Traditionally, brands promoting car acceleration might focus on horsepower or torque specifications. However, Feifer notes that consumers don’t typically discuss acceleration in those terms; they feel it.

Connecting Through Felt Experience

Feifer explains how Volkswagen’s advertising strategy for acceleration cleverly sidestepped technical details in favor of portraying the visceral feeling of rapid movement. The ad he references, featuring two men with their beer bellies flattening due to G-force, is a prime example of this approach. It’s simple, humorous, and immediately communicates the sensation of powerful acceleration without resorting to technical data.

The Power of Simple Communication

According to Feifer, this experiential approach allows for a much more impactful message. By focusing on the feeling, Volkswagen could distill the essence of their car’s capability into just two words: “Powerful acceleration.” This brevity, combined with the relatable visual, ensures the message is easily understood and remembered.

“So Volkswagen made an ad purely about experience. Just two guys whose beer bellies flatten from the G-force. Simple. Funny. At the end, Volkswagen just needs to say: “Powerful acceleration.””

Feifer challenges business leaders and marketers to apply this principle to their own work. He urges them to consider whether their communication is framed in their own internal language or in the language of their customers—the language of their experiences.

Bridging the Gap Between Product and Customer

In Feifer’s view, the disconnect often arises when companies become too immersed in their own product development and technical specifications, losing sight of how these attributes translate into tangible benefits or feelings for the end-user. He argues that this perspective shift—from product-centric to experience-centric—is not just a marketing tactic but a strategic imperative for building genuine connection and loyalty.

“Now ask yourself: Are you telling your story in your language… or in theirs?”

By emphasizing the customer’s experience, businesses can create more resonant narratives, develop more relevant offerings, and ultimately build stronger relationships. Feifer’s analysis suggests that true marketing success comes not from showcasing what a product *is*, but from illustrating what it *does* for the person using it, in a way that they can immediately grasp and relate to.

Feifer concludes by promoting his newsletter, which he states aims to help readers succeed faster and more confidently, reaching over 80,000 subscribers.