Tech startups aren’t in the technology business. They’re in the magic business. I’m not talking about sleight of hand tricks, fooling people with funky props, or pretending to saw off someone’s head. I’m talking about providing magical experiences to customers. Startups need to sell magic.

Most customers don’t understand the technology that exists behind the products they use. Most don’t care. They don’t need to. The products they use just need to work. That’s it. In the course of working – and working incredibly well – those products delight and astound. They’re magical. If your product isn’t magical in how it works, how it makes people feel, it’s design, and the results it creates (the ROI to your customers!) … you have a problem. If you’re trying to sell technology for technology’s sake, you may impress a few people, but you’ll confuse and irritate more than you impress.

Customers want results. They’re attracted to products that delight them. They’re impressed by startups that communicate and respond quickly to their issues. They want value, and they want you to fit seamlessly into their lives. They want a lot. Really: they want magic. Sell magic, not technology.

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