The Art of Crafting Memorable Experiences
Today, we wrap up a month of travel and head home. It has been a wild trip filled with so many lessons. We often choose to visit places that are off the beaten path, which means that we tend to do things the hard way rather than the easy way. I believe that travel shouldn’t necessarily be easy but rich. This type of travel is all about managing the delta between expectation and reality. (I also find that key to managing suffering in life in general, but we’ll save that for my future wellness blog.) The reality is that things rarely happen the way that we imagine them. It is how we meet what IS vs what we had hoped for or wanted that determines how we experience it. The way we experience life and move through the world is therefore entirely in our control. We travel to experience the world, which in turn, has gotten me thinking deeply about the experiences we provide at Acquire.
When I first became a sommelier, we were given a dining budget to go out and dine in other restaurants. At lineup, (our pre-shift meeting) we would be asked to comment about both positive and negative dining experiences with the understanding that the only way someone can give truly extraordinary service is to have experienced it themselves. For the first fifteen years of my career in restaurants, I had no hobbies. I literally ate and drank all of my disposable income in an effort to understand intimately what else was out there. To see, taste, and feel what others were doing only to improve what I gave to others daily through my work.
At Acquire, rich experiences are what the vast majority of our clients are looking for. Anyone can plan a nice dinner, but crafting a truly memorable experience takes an extra touch. Since our inception, we have drawn upon the tapestry of our own experiences to craft truly memorable moments for others. When helping our clients, we first get to know their target audience intimately so we can design something that will not only appeal to them, but will blow them away. We also look for moments to “surprise and delight,” which can only be achieved after doing your homework once you have a guest list. Only when you know your attendees intimately, can you create moments of true connection. Mundane details are wildly important. Take something as simple as the seating chart, for example. Where people sit has a massive impact on the way in which they experience your event. We also take guest notes on all attendees to help our clients craft the most personalized follow-up. Follow-up is key for maximizing the impact of your engagement, remembering that often the most impactful follow-ups are typically also the least expensive. Thoughtful gestures go a long way!
We are heading into our busiest season at Acquire. As you make your plans for your fall and winter engagements, we hope that you’ll choose us knowing first that we care deeply about providing the highest level of service in all aspects of what we do and secondly that we are experts at making you shine.