Friends, I have recently been reading Be Our Guest. A Book about How the Disney Company goes the EXTRA MILE to make your experience truly MAGICAL. It all starts with attention to detail and understanding the needs of the guests. In our case here in Market Center Leadership, understanding the needs and expectations of our agents and their clients. A Great take away from the book so far is Mickey's 10 Commandments.
Know your audience. Don’t bore people, talk down to them, or lose them by assuming that they know what you know.
Wear your guest’s shoes. Insist that your Leadership Team, Investors, and Vendors experience your Market Center as visitors as often as possible. Something else Walt also insisted on was that his Imagineers attend the park, go on the rides and stand in queues every two weeks so they never lose sight or feel of what the guest sees. By the way, every Corporate Manager of McDonald's is required to spend a week per year serving customers at the counter. Something they learned from Disney.
Organize the flow of people and ideas. Use good storytelling techniques; tell good stories, not lectures. Become an AMAZING storyteller!
Create a “weenie.” Lead visitors from one area to another by creating visual magnets and giving visitors rewards for making the journey. Okay, so by now most of you are saying “what’s this weenie thing?” Well, the story is that when Walt Disney was young and went to the circus, the zoo, or an amusement park the first thing he looked for was the wiener cart, so he could have a “wienie.” It was his magnet. Do you know what Disneyland’s weenie is? Sleeping Beauty’s Castle! I know it’s not a hot dog cart but it is undeniably a visual magnet for the guests entering the park. It draws you in.
Communicate with visual literacy. Make good use of all the non-verbal ways of communication — color, shape, form, texture. Avoid the temptation to overload your audience with everything you’ve learned. Also, check your website and social media feeds to ensure they reflect your brand.
Avoid overload. Resist the temptation to tell too much, to have too many objects; don’t force people to swallow more than they can digest; try to stimulate and provide guidance to those who want more. Listen carefully to your Leadership Team and your Agents and check to ensure that you clearly communicate your benefits in a consistent manner.
Tell one story at a time. If you have a lot of information, divide it into distinct, logical, organized stories. People can absorb and retain information more clearly if the path to the next concept is clear and logical. Storytelling is becoming a lost art, coach your staff on how to tell great stories in person and online, and if you don’t know how to do that, bring someone in who can help. (Don Yaeger is a Great Resource on Story Telling)
Avoid contradiction. Clear Market Center and Real Estate Company identity helps give you the competitive edge. The public needs to know who you are and what differentiates you from other companies they may have seen.
For every ounce of treatment, provide a lot of fun. How do you woo people from all other temptations? Give people plenty of opportunities to enjoy themselves by emphasizing ways that let people participate in the experience and by making your environment rich and appealing to all senses. This is show business after all. Make the effort to have fun online and in the hallways.
Keep it up. Never underestimate the importance of cleanliness and routine maintenance. People expect to get an incredible experience every time, and they will comment more on classes or trainings that are not well planned or thought out. Does your station sound as good as it could be technically? Remember in this business you are ALWAYS ON STAGE!