My niece recently graduated from high school, and my family spent the entire morning, evening, and night celebrating this wonderful once in a lifetime event with her.

Our final celebration was dinner at a restaurant chosen by my niece. Since this was our first time at this restaurant, we didn't know what to expect. The restaurant had a good reputation, so the most we expected was a good meal.

But one thing was certain, this day HAD to be perfect. After all, it was a once in a lifetime event.

We walked in the restaurant with a gigantic cake weighing the equivalent of a small child. When we were called for our table, the greeter took the cake and said they would take care of it.

The unique selling position of this restaurant was a term coined by them: 'Eatertainment'. The eatertainment featured a private chef for each table that not only prepared the food in front of the guests, but also did acrobatic tricks with the food while preparing it.

Our private chef did a wonderful job in creating a memorable experience for us. But then something happened that made our wonderful experience unforgettable...

Our waitress brought my niece's cake to us, and other members of the staff came with the waitress to celebrate with us.

They didn't just sing to my niece and congratulate her, they also gave her a huge candle to blow out and had her do a happy dance. When she cut the cake, they took a picture of her and put the picture in a memory frame for her.

When the greeter said they would take care of the cake, we simply expected them to bring us plates for the cake. This restaurant totally exceeded our expectations, and created a memorable experience for us that had us 'wowing' for days.

Besides sharing one of the best days of my life with you, I also want to share some tips that will help you create a memorable experience for your clients.

1. ALWAYS GO THE EXTRA MILE:

Don't just stop at providing the service that your clients expect from you. Wow them by giving them more than they expected.

Complete the project ahead of schedule, thank them for their business with a handwritten card, thank them with an unexpected bonus such as a special report.

Take care of your clients every step of the way while they are doing business with you. This alone will create extra value for your clients and make them go WOW.

2. BECOME A PART OF THEIR EXPERIENCE:

Remember that it is all about them, and that they are only focused on their needs.

Show your clients that you are committed to not only solving their problems, but also to their success.

Find out more about their business goals, and be sincere about helping them accomplish those goals. When you ask them about their business goals, listen carefully and you may find out that they are in need of other services from you.

Wow them by offering a special offer for another service they need. Upon completion of the current project, include the special offer for a future project in your thank you card.

3. CREATE A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE:

In order to make it memorable, it needs to be unique. What is unique about your business? What can you do to make your clients aware of your uniqueness?

The experience for your clients starts as soon as they walk through your doors. It doesn't matter if those doors are your website, brochure, sales letter, email response, or a telephone call.

How will you create a memorable first impression?

Focus on creating a memorable experience for your clients, and growing your business will be a piece of cake.

Copyright 2004 Black Unicorn Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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