Is solving unique problems enough to achieve customer loyalty? Why do people stay loyal to one brand when there are infinite products offering the solutions they need? There has to be an X factor that makes people stick to a particular product or service. What is it? Let’s scroll below and learn.
By Techype Team . Thu Apr 03 2025
According to Croplink, on average, 89% of consumers are more likely to return to and buy from a business that provides a positive customer experience.
What leads to this experience?
It can’t just be a product that solves their problem.
It has to offer something more, something better, something..enjoyable!
Products that evoke positive emotions are more likely to be loved and remembered.
A keyword often used whenever there are discussions around an MLP is “delight.”
Delight in design encourages repeated product use and deeper engagement.
Companies that find their way into emotional motivators outperform competitors.
Why? Because customer satisfaction doesn’t always lead to customer loyalty, but a genuine emotional connection? That definitely does!
Brian de Haaff, co-founder of Aha! proposed the concept of MLP in 2013.
This happened when he noticed that the traditional Minimum Viable Product (MVP) approach often led to functional but uninspiring products.
MLP is a step beyond an MVP, it focuses on creating an emotional connection with early adopters, making the product both functional and enjoyable.
Some of the best outcomes of MLP are: a lovable user experience, delight, and customer retention.
Tech experts say that MLP is about balancing speed-to-market along with creating a product people love, not just tolerate.
MLP is a great way to build and improve brand perception and long-term user retention strategies.
There are clear signs about an MLP's potential, and this is why founders should prioritize "lovable" over "viable."
Your friend visits after a long, tiring day at work, feeling super hungry. You prepare a meal for her, she finishes the meal and feels full.
You serving your friend a meal can be considered an MVP. It solves her hunger problem, exactly what she needed.
Now, imagine if instead of directly preparing the meal, you had asked her what she was craving to eat and made her favorite dish, in that case, she wouldn’t just feel full, she would feel happy and cared for.
In other words, she would feel delighted.
That’s an MLP; it solves the problem and creates an emotional, enjoyable experience.
1. The Goal
2. The Focus
3. Speed-to-market
4. User Reaction
5. End Result
Pinterest is a great example of a successful MLP because it not only focuses on being functional but also aims to delight users right from the start.
1. Core Functionality with a Twist:
Pinterest started as a simple visual bookmarking tool, allowing users to save and organize images.
We all love Pinterest pinboards, don't we?
The aesthetics and ease of use made the process feel more like creating a mood board than managing a list of links.
2. Emotional Connection:
When people saw ideas similar to how they perceive the world, it made them like Pinterest.
It didn't just provide ways to organize content but also curate personal tastes.
3. Visual Appeal:
Pinterest offered a clean, grid-based design that made the platform look beautiful from day one.
4. Community and Sharing:
Pinterest provided its users a sense of community and a loop of inspiration and sharing, turning users into advocates who spread the platform organically. Word of mouth isn’t a myth after all!
5. Iterating with User Feedback:
Pinterest continued to evolve based on what users loved.
For example, it introduced features like "secret boards" and "rich pins," all built on insights from early adopters.
1. Boosts user engagement
2. Creates emotional appeal
3. Enhances user experience
4. Reduces feature overload
5. Lowers development costs
6. Minimizes costly rework
7. Faster time-to-market
8. Helps you stand out
9. Encourages early feedback
10. Builds a loyal community
1. Identify the Target Audience and Problem
Begin with complete clarity on who the people are that will benefit from your product and what problem it will solve.
Your solution becomes lovable the very moment it talks to real problems of a specific audience.
2. Define Core Features
“What is the one feature that will make my audience keep coming back?”
This might seem like a simple question, but it gives you all the answers about your USP, your ability to make people feel joy, and solve a major problem through your product.
3. Design a Simple, Usable Prototype
Your first version should feel clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate.
Think of the experience, not just the functionality.
It will make users stick around long enough to fall in love with the core idea.
4. Launch Quickly
The sooner you launch your MLP, the sooner you get the feedback you need.
5. Gather Feedback
Gather as much real user insights as you can: through surveys, direct conversations, and in-app feedback.
6. Iterate and Improve
Use feedback to make potential improvements, but also keep your brand identity intact.
A truly lovable product solves a problem, but also feels good to use.
Think about the emotional journey:
People remember how a product makes them feel more than what it technically does.
That’s what drives loyalty and advocacy.
Set up monthly user surveys, behavior tracking, or even community forums.
One of your goals should be to make sure your product remains lovable as the market evolves.
Get designers, developers, marketers, and customer success teams involved from the start.
Each team brings a unique perspective to create a complete, delightful experience.
Looks matter, at least when it comes to your MLP.
A clean, beautiful design that is satisfying to use is your USP and will drive engagement and retention.
People are more likely to share a product that feels premium, even in its simplest form.
Looks like you’ve already understood what an MLP means and what value it provides to your business.
It's time to move on to the next level of your MLP journey.
At Techype, we develop Minimum Lovable Products that solve unique problems, provide a lovable experience, and bring your customers all the delight they need to trust you as a loyal brand.
Have questions related to MLP development?
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