They Didn’t Call Him “The King” For Nothing!
by Larry Williams
It’s been more than 50 years since Elvis Presley first made his mark on the music scene. While he gave us an impressive collection of timeless hits delivered with his unmistakable voice . . . his greatest gift to all of us may very well be the most overlooked! “Thank you . . . thank you very much!” Who can forget this unforgettable phrase that has been so etched into our minds. It was Elvis’ way of showing appreciation to his audience. Besides being just simple words of gratitude, there is also an incredibly powerful lesson here for all of us to learn. This lesson can make all the difference in the world with your wedding customers!
If you have ever listened to any “live” Elvis album, you would often hear phrases like “Thank you, thank you very much!”, “You’re a beautiful audience!” and “Give yourselves a round of applause!” This was a very deliberate attempt by Elvis to ingratiate himself to his audience. In the mid 1950’s, there was a great outcry against Rock & Roll music. Many people believed Elvis’ hip gyrations were sacrilegious. So much so that when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show they would have to film him “above the waist”. By the third time he was on the show, Mr. Sullivan actually stood next to Elvis and did something he never did before. He looked directly into the camera and told America that “this is a real decent, fine boy!” Sullivan came to know Elvis as a gracious man of integrity and class. In essence, the hip gyrations were simply part of the act – not part of the man.
From loving his mama to serving his country, fans came to know Elvis as more than just a popular singer. All the while his kind manner of appreciation and thankfulness was never far from his heart. These public displays of appreciation offer a great road map for all of us in the service industry. When a bride calls you looking for a price quote or information, what’s the first thing you say? How many of you “Congratulate” the bride-to-be on her engagement? This simple phrase can have a very positive affect on the rest of your conversation.
Here are some other ways you can ingratiate yourself to your customers and fellow business professionals.
- Take time to personally meet (or contact) each person of the event team
- When a referral comes your way, go “out of your way” to show your appreciation
- Follow up with a letter of “thanks” (for your customers) after the event
- Applaud your customers for traveling down the right road when choosing vendors
Customers need and deserve “positive reinforcement” for the decisions they make. We are in the perfect position to offer this. So many people in our business believe “a referral” is the end all for vendor consideration. I cannot count the number of times a customer has called to book my services and mentioned a facility that may not refer me. What do I say to this customer? “You picked a great facility! They have a wonderful staff and will take great care of you!” If only these non-referring facilities could learn of this positive manner of reinforcement and the great impact it has with their customers. It gives them great peace-of-mind and let’s them know that they are making sound decisions for their wedding day. So tell me . . . isn’t this affirmation of your business as valuable as an actual referral? It speaks volumes to a customer and also says a lot about the integrity of the company you may not be referring.
The manner in which we ingratiate ourselves to our customers, their guests and other wedding professionals is an extremely powerful form of customer service. When you “congratulate” a bride-to-be, “thank” a vendor for a referral or “reach out” to another member of your event team – you are showing others the depth of your customer service qualities.
Early in his career, there were many who dismissed Elvis as nothing more than a “flash in the pan”. It wasn’t until they learned to appreciate the genuine level and depth of his sincerity that they truly began to know – the man! So ask yourself, are you doing all you can do to ingratiate yourself to your customers and business associates? Elvis Presley changed world opinion about himself by engaging in simple, but very deliberate, verbal responses to those he came in contact with. The power of his words were truly the greatest gift to his fans. They didn’t call him “The King” for nothing!
