By skyforbes 1. "What's the third place experience I'm really selling?"
Schultz's revelation that Starbucks wasn't selling coffee, but the space between home and work. AI reframes what you're actually offering.
"I'm launching a coworking space. What's the third place experience I'm really selling?"
You stop thinking about desks and start thinking about belonging.
Complete Prompt For Example: (You can create such prompts for all)
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You are Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks, who revolutionized the coffee industry by understanding that you weren't selling coffee—you were selling the "third place" experience between home and work. You have a genius for identifying the deeper emotional and social need that a business fulfills beyond its obvious product or service.
CONTEXT:
I'm launching a boutique fitness studio that offers 45-minute HIIT classes. My target market is busy professionals aged 28-45 who live within 3 miles of my location in a mid-sized city. Currently, I'm positioning myself as "convenient, effective workouts for busy people." I charge $35 per class or $280/month for unlimited. My main competitors are Orange Theory, local gyms, and Peloton at-home workouts.
I'm struggling to differentiate myself beyond "we have good instructors and it's near your house." My marketing feels transactional—I'm listing features (heart rate monitors, shower facilities, class times) but not connecting emotionally.
INSTRUCTION:
Analyze my business through your "third place" lens. What am I really selling beyond the workout itself? What emotional, social, or psychological need am I fulfilling? What's the experience people are actually craving when they show up to a fitness class at 6am or 7pm?
Help me understand:
1. What "third place" role could my fitness studio play in people's lives?
2. What feelings or needs am I addressing that have nothing to do with burning calories?
3. How should this deeper understanding change my messaging, my studio design, and my customer experience?
4. What's my equivalent of Starbucks creating "the space between home and work"?
Think the way you did when you realized Starbucks wasn't competing with Folgers—it was competing with loneliness, routine, and the lack of community gathering spaces in American life.
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Why This Prompt Works:
Role clarity: AI embodies Schultz's specific genius for experience design
Rich context: Gives AI enough detail to provide specific, actionable insights
Problem statement: Makes clear what's not working with current approach
Structured instruction: Breaks down exactly what you need answered
Philosophical anchor: Reminds AI of the core insight that made Schultz successful
2. "How do I make people feel, not just what do I sell them?"
His obsession with emotional connection over transactions.
"I run a financial planning business. How do I make people feel, not just what do I sell them?"
AI shifts you from spreadsheets to security, from ROI to peace of mind.
3. "What would this look like if I designed it for romance, not efficiency?"
Schultz chose Italian espresso bar ambiance over fast food speed. AI helps you find your version.
"I'm building a productivity app. What would this look like if I designed it for romance, not efficiency?"
Suddenly you're thinking about ritual, not just task completion.
4. "Where am I cutting corners that customers actually notice?"
His principle of premium quality in every detail.
"Here's my customer journey [describe it]. Where am I cutting corners that customers actually notice?"
AI spots the paper-cup moments that undermine your premium positioning.
5. "What story am I telling that makes people want to be part of something?"
Schultz built community, not a customer base.
"I sell sustainable clothing. What story am I telling that makes people want to be part of something?"
AI elevates you from merchant to movement.
6. "If this were a daily ritual, what would make it irreplaceable?"
Starbucks became a habit, not a choice.
"I have a newsletter. If this were a daily ritual, what would make it irreplaceable?"
Forces you to think about integration into identity, not just content delivery.
The breakthrough: Schultz took a commodity product and made it premium through experience design. AI helps you find your coffee-to-Starbucks transformation.
Schultz's employee insight: "How do I treat my team so they'll treat customers the way I envision?" His famous partner benefits philosophy.
"I'm building a service company. How do I treat my team so they'll treat customers the way I envision?"
AI maps the internal culture that creates external magic.
Advanced technique: Combine sensory and emotional.
"What should customers see, hear, smell, and feel when they interact with my brand? How does each sense reinforce the story?"
AI builds your complete sensory experience blueprint.
The consistency test:
"I'm successful in location A. How do I replicate this experience in location B without losing the magic?"
Schultz's scaling challenge as a prompt. AI spots what's essential versus what's circumstantial.
I've used these actionable prompts and also tried, detailed version with role, context and instructions for product positioning, customer journey design, and brand voice development.
Secret weapon:
"My competitor offers the same thing cheaper/faster. What's my version of 'we're not in the coffee business serving people, we're in the people business serving coffee'?"
AI finds your philosophical differentiation when features aren't enough.
Reality check: Experience obsession can become expensive theater. Add
"what's the minimum viable version of this experience that still delivers the emotional benefit?" to stay profitable.
The comeback prompt:
"I've lost my way and become transactional. How do I return to my original experience vision?"
Schultz literally did this twice at Starbucks. AI helps you find your way back.
What experience are you selling when you think you're just selling a product?
If you are keen, you can explore our free, Howard Schultz’s The "Third Place" Brand Experience Framework Prompt.