Wouldn’t You Rather Have It Your Way?
Burger King recently retired their long-standing slogan, “Have It Your Way,” following a 40-year run. During that time, customers knew that they could order their Whopper with extra pickles, no cheese, half the onions, or mustard instead of ketchup. Of course there was a standard Whopper recipe, but accommodating the specific tastes of their customers was paramount to the success of the burger giant.
Amazing Celebrations, LLC thrives on unique, one of a kind events, and always encourages clients to think out of the box when planning their special occasions.
Recognizing that not everyone has the same budget, tastes, personalities and expectations allows us to make appropriate vendor recommendations and suitable design proposals. We have done a fabulous number of basketball themed events but would like to think that each Bar Mitzvah client was satisfied that their particular celebration was distinctive and memorable.
Partnering with venues and vendors with similar event philosophies is always a win-win situation. Good for us but even more so for the client. Nothing is more exciting than finding a chef who is willing to go the extra mile to match the menu to the theme or a DJ who will take the time to create a playlist that spans multiple genres for both the bride and groom.
One major roadblock to this ideal scenario is the phrase, “We’ve always done it this way.” Imagine walking into a salon hoping to get blond highlights and a quick trim only to walk out with a total buzz cut. The stylist claims that she only cuts hair one-way and chooses to ignore all special requests because “I’ve always done it this way.” A bit of a stretch, but something that we hear all too often.
The least successful site visit is with event managers who ‘talk at’ clients. They’re so concerned with getting through their pitch that they don’t take a breath to ask even one question. “This is where the band will be, this is how you will walk in, the tables are always set in this configuration, our package includes…” and on and on. If we cut in to express a different flow or format, we are often told, “this is what works best for us” with no consideration for the client’s needs or wishes.
Realizing that many venues and vendors have certain policies and restrictions that must be taken into consideration, we still will always stress creativity and personalization as the key to every successful event. Venues and vendors should periodically ask someone to critique their sales calls and presentations. Take some time to get to know the client even before launching into the sales schpiel. Picking up on just one of their special requests will go a long way in helping the client to move the venue to the top of their list.
“Be Your Way” is Burger King’s new motto because “self-expression is most important and it’s our differences that make us individuals instead of robots.” We would all do well to chew on this adage for a bit…