What’s your kingfisher?
It’s easy to sink into ways of doing things that aren’t so bad but don’t exactly work. Not falling on our faces, but stumbling. Getting by,…
A walk in the country, a gorgeous day, the sun through the trees and birdsong in the air. Chatting as you walk down the river, a kingfisher darts along the water and rests on an overhanging reed.
Monday morning at work, what will you talk about? The walk and the weather, maybe. The chat, no. The kingfisher, absolutely.
It’s a stand out moment. Whenever kingfishers come up, “I saw one once,” and the story comes out again.
That’s the way it is. Stand out moments stand out. They’re memorable.
Lemon curd
Another one: at a hotel in Cornwall, a jar of very special lemon curd on the breakfast table. Not normal. I love lemon curd, but at breakfast? Yes, please. The restaurant manager told me why, and who, and where. Professional, with passion. If you want a great hotel in Cornwall, look at the Watergate Bay.
Kingfishers and lemon curd. Stand out moments that make things memorable, that we talk about, that build a story … that bring us back and that help us recommend.
What’s your kingfisher?
There are plenty of touch points in any product or service. Some can be kingfishers.
The shoe shop that gives a Polaroid to EVERY child buying their first pair of shoes. The OVERWHELMINGLY artisan approach to serving coffee. The management accountant who ONLY produces spreadsheets that are easy to follow and make their message clear. The web design company who DELIGHT in leaving playful surprises in their code.
Customers talk about this stuff. They recommend it to their friends.
One last thought about kingfishers; we talk about them regardless. Even if the weather was lousy, the roadworks were long, and the path was muddy … that kingfisher, still worth the walk, and the talk.
Skippy Strategy: What can you make memorable? That might just get passed on whenever the subject comes up? That people want to Instagram? It doesn’t have to be customer facing or expensive, just things that demonstrate your professionalism, your passion, your focus.
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Making Promises
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