How To Create A Deeper Impact + Meaningful Relationship With Your Clients
Welcome to Episode 28!
A few weeks ago Wade and I met up with some friends in Sydney where we went out for dinner at what I would call a very fancy restaurant to celebrate Wade and Ben's birthdays.
The restaurant was called Mjolnir - Ben (our friend) loves to find unique and different places to eat - and this certainly didn't disappoint! It was a viking themed restaurant and could only be found by a single symbol on a wooden door, that we actually walked past without even realising!
The dinner was amazing, but what was even more incredible was the service we received from a young gentleman named Andy (who was the manager and just helping to serve while they were busy that night).
He looked after us all night, recommending dishes to try, putting on a show, chatting about important things and meaningful moments in his life, even making reference to his Irish background and joking with us that if we mentioned the word "potatoes" he would appear 🍀 funny enough - he did every time!
At the end of the evening, after Andy had gone to attend to "the books", a waitress came over with two birthday cards signed by everyone working on the night for my hubby and our friend, along with two glass drinking horns for the boys to take home. The most special touch to end the night.
When we got back to the motel, I was so impressed, I completely replayed every little detail of the night and wrote out the stand outs as you do as a small business owner 🤭 This restaurant went above and beyond in every single sense and made me want to shout their praises from the rooftops. So in writing out the standouts from the night, I thought I would share them with you because there is so much goodness in what they are doing that can relate back to our regional small businesses and I just know you will take something from this too!
I have three very significant standouts from the night:
✨ STANDOUT DETAIL #1 - It Was More Than A Restaurant
It was one of the most beautiful experiences that we have had with close friends. It wasn’t just going out for dinner. It was so much more.
From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by staff dressed in viking clothing - and not a tacky costume, but quality clothing that reeked of class.
From a traditional greeting with mede and a prayer, to choosing the carving knife we would use, and watching as Andy lit our friends drink on fire (I’m assuming this is not a new trick however as a non drinker, I was fascinated) Every detail was all part of this wonderful experience
When starting a business, it is easy to think that you are just selling clothes, or just taking someone’s photograph or just serving people at your cafe. However, it is so much more than that. When you realise that what you do or sell is actually a solution to someone’s bad day, problem they are faced with, or adventure they are looking for, everything changes.
I can speak wholeheartedly as a photographer knowing the power I hold within my business. I don’t just take a photo. Even now capturing photographs for businesses… I capture a record of a moment, of someone’s life, a moment that one can never get back again. A way for them to hold on to something they enjoyed, something that made them feel successful, confident, joy, at peace. I provide a reflection of how far someone has come in their business, a moment to stop and celebrate. So much more than simply capturing an image. As a side note, this is actually going to be a separate podcast episode that I have been working on now for a little while, but this is the hint to what’s to come so stay tuned for that one.
So to recap, standout detail #1 - it was more than just a restaurant, have a think about how you are more than just what you do. What solution are you providing, what experience are you allowing your client to have, how are you making their day more wonderful?
✨ STANDOUT DETAIL #2 - Share Your Story
Andy was a delight. But what completely won us over was when he took our order - for four people with a big appetite, without a notepad and explained why he was so incredibly talented at remembering - As you may be aware, my beautiful Nan who was my greatest inspiration for starting my own photography business, was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease and it was in this journey when I really realised the power I held with my camera. Well, on this night, Andy explained how his Grandfather had passed away of Alzheimer's so he made it his mission to practice memory exercises so he wouldn't experience what he watched his grandfather go through. Something I could wholeheartedly relate to.
We think that people don’t want to hear about our story, our behind the scenes, that we aren’t polished enough, that we need to be something we aren’t to appear like we know what we are doing for people to shop with us, book us or work with us. We can be embarrassed or ashamed of the journey we have been on to get to where we are today. However, it is our story that shapes our why - the reason behind why we do what we do. And as Simon Sinek says, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”.
Andy was incredible at remembering our order for a reason and it related solely to his why. He wanted to better his memory so he didn’t suffer the way he watched his grandfather suffer. I think this could also explain many traits we saw in him.
Don’t be afraid to share your story. Open up, show your real, raw and honest side (as much as you are comfortable with), and connect with your audience and clients in a relatable way that is unique to you. This is what helps you to stand out, to be different, all the things we see everyone talking about, there is no big magic trick here - it simply comes back to just being honest and relatable. Share your story. There is so much power in this.
✨ STANDOUT DETAIL #3 - Your Power Lies In The Words Your Clients Speak ABOUT You
And lastly, I was SO intrigued by the fact that this restaurant had NO signage out the front, except an inconspicuous symbol on a wooden door amongst a variety of co-working spaces and offices. No name, no menus, not even directions to find your way inside.
This question kept playing over and over in my mind - WHY was this restaurant packed full of people, and how did our friends who were from Woolongong (and everyone else in the restaurant) discover it when there was no signage out the front.
Well, there may be a few reasons, and some we have already spoken about, but the main reason for this is
🗣️ WORD OF MOUTH.
And why was word of mouth so successful for them?
✨ THEIR BRANDING.
Their brand was so on point, so well thought out, so put together and so aligned, that every single person who stepped foot inside their doors new exactly from the moment they entered what the restaurant was about, who they served, and the experience they offered. When they left all they wanted to do was tell someone about their experience - like I am telling you now.
It was different. It was memorable. It was focused on customer experience. It was from the heart. Every... single... detail.
The lesson that night…
Word of mouth is so incredibly successful when YOU create the script for what you want your audience to say about you.
☝️ Read that again so it sinks in ☝️
So to recap on the 3 standout details of our night out which I believe can help any regional small business improve their connection with clients, and stand out are these:
#1 - It was more than just a restaurant, be more than just what you do. Work out what it is that you provide be it memories for your clients to revisit again and again so they don’t forget moments in their life - if you’re a photographer, to helping someone build their confidence to attend a christmas party for their husband in a beautiful dress that makes them feel comfortable - if you’re a boutique. To helping people feel safe in their home of a nighttime if you sell security screens, to inspiring someone to see their life in a whole new perspective if you’re a musician. You don’t just sell something, or provide a service, there is a deeper level there, you need to know what that is.
#2 - Share your story. Be real, raw and honest with your clients. Be relatable. Connect with them not in a way that everyone else does by following a script for what you think you should be saying in your marketing, but by sharing your story, a story that is unique to you, that allows people to see why you do what you do. Help them to relate to you and connect with you and you will have more powerful client experiences and interactions that will leave them wanting more, feeling loyal to you, talking about you to their friends.
#3 - Your power lies in your brand and the words your clients speak about you - Word of mouth is so incredibly successful when YOU create the script for what you want your audience to say about you. This means that you need to get really specific on what it is that you do, why you do it, how you do it, who you help, how you help them and then follow through on this in everything you do - every single detail - every single decision you make should follow this script - the script that you write - because it is this that your clients will share with others.
✍️ So to leave you with a little thought provoking question for your day - do you know what your audience is saying about you? And if you do, is it what you want them to be saying?
Send me a DM @iamtaylahmaree and let me know your thoughts on this.
I want you to know that I truly am SO appreciative of you reading this far. It fills my heart to know that when you read these words right now you have come to the end of this episode. So thank you from my whole heart.
Taylah xx
DM Mjolner On Instagram Here 👉 @mjolneraustralia
Looking for more?
I love to help rural creatives build an impactful small biz with heart and I do that through photography + business mentoring. If you want to learn more, head on over to our photography or mentoring pages here 🙂 Or send me a text, I can’t wait to chat with you xx