Thursday, April 26, 2007

Whether you liked him or not, Sanjaya made his mark on this season’s American Idol. Not a great singer, yet he had the powerful personality and charisma to Wow his audience into a trance.

You probably haven’t thought of this ... why is it that out of 12 or so contestants on the show, we can’t really identify anyone else? Oh, I like that girl or, that guy sang great. But that’s it. They’re nameless and faceless. Why? Because there’s no story within any of them!

What did Sanjaya have that “differentiated” himself from the other (and even better) singers? Whether it was the hair, the smile, the charisma, it was something ... and the American audience gravitated to it in a big way. The key word is “differentiated.”

It’s amazing that even as a bad singer, he was still the big fan favorite. Why? Because people recognized a difference and grabbed on to it. With no “difference” there’s nothing for the audience to clutch on to. Remember previous American Idol winner Fantasia? What was her point of difference? She had an emotional story ... single mother and couldn’t write. People grabbed on to that and admired her perseverance even more!

Here’s the restaurant marketing lesson—people will clutch on to something when you give them an opportunity to do so. If you don’t give them an opportunity, you become just another restaurant to them. They will remember you if ... you tell them something or ... do something extraordinary.

So, what’s your story? What’s your point of differentiation? Your entire restaurant—every component of it—the look, appearance, the guest experience, your plate presentation, your servers, your gm and owners—they all contribute to your story, and some are even stories in themselves.

What do you have that people can clutch on to and remember you by? Here are two to play with:

1. What are you famous for? Develop it and tell your guests

2. What’s your restaurant’s story? How did you get started in the restaurant business? Tell this story to your guests ... trust me, as boring as it may seem to you, your guests will be fascinated by it.

You have a choice: you can be like all the other restaurants or you can be different and make a difference.

Posted by jcohen in • Restaurant Marketing
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