“When you open the box of an iPhone or iPad, we want that tactile experience to set the tone for how you perceive the product.” – Steve Jobs
Steve knew that most people start forming opinions about your product before they’ve ever seen it. They may have heard about it from a friend, seen an ad on Google, read one of your blog posts, etc.
Before using your product they read your home page, look for reviews, and maybe go through your online guides. What they do in the first 5 minutes of using your product may not even be the long term benefit… but it will be a main selling point because the ads, your marketing site, and your on boarding experience are all part of the complete product experience.
It’s that complete product experience that has to be great… not just the meat and potatoes of the product. In fact… it’s best to start thinking about all these things as a part of your product so they get the right amount of attention.