One of my favorite moments on tours is when couples share what they heard about our venue that made them want to check us out. Candidly, I’ve got a shortlist of comments I hope to hear! I think deep down we all want people to see and validate the work we’ve been pouring into the projects WE love! But it’s the unexpected comments that help us escape our own perspective and catch that rare glimpse of how others see us and understand what’s important to them.
A couple I toured yesterday said the unexpected. They were touring because they heard we made weddings “easy”. I didn’t have that one on my shortlist.
They weren’t touring because we have 8 beers on tap with every wedding package. They didn’t come in to see our modern dinnerware collection — or our warehouse of included furniture to choose from. And they don’t even know about the new projects our team has been obsessing over for the past few months (because they haven’t launched yet), so they didn’t come in for those either.
My work has been focused on what I thought was our product. This last tour hit the reset button and helped me remember that it’s the experience of what we do that actually matters. The experience is product. Everything else is a means to that end. If stress is the thief of a great party, what could be more important than finding a way to make your wedding planning … and your wedding day … easier.
Easy is my new favorite.
And ironically, it makes me want to work even harder.