T H E TO U C H I N G E X P E R I E N C E 199 behavior differentiates the brand at the point of delivery and in our recol- lections. TH E R I G H T WAY TO P L A N BR AND E X P E R I E N C E It's one thing to describe the components of brand experience. It's quite an- other to consider how to orchestrate a great one in real life. Conventionally, a lot of brands think of experience linearly, whereby the experience unfolds moment to moment and every moment counts. A good analogy for this model of brand experience is a movie. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and everything contained within the movie matters. The problem with this view of brands is that it can be overwhelming. I used to tell my clients they had to make sure the brand delivered on its promise at every touch point throughout an experience, but that's a ridiculously daunting, and probably inefficient, task. Here's why. Right now, as you read each new word of this book, your brain is en- gaged and digesting the words I share with you. However, unless I call your attention to a specific word or phrase, you probably aren't paying too much attention to it. You scan the text, and your brain absorbs information as quickly as it can, as long as I don't say something that confuses you or draw attention to something that snaps your brain out of scan mode and into analysis mode. Although I'd like to imagine that every sentence I load into this book is packed with thought-provoking, memorable material, I know that certain parts of what I share are going to interest you more than other parts. Not only that, but your attention will waver from time to time, until an exception comes along that snaps your conscious mind back into the present. In the meantime, your mind may wander here and there. Maybe you're hungry, and you start thinking about what to have for lunch. You keep reading while your mind ponders food, but you're not as engaged. American Management Association · www.amanet.org