I recently returned from the attendicon.com conference, where I was honored to attend as part of the “media.” At the conference, I met and learned from Rohit Bhargava, who detailed trends that will be impacting our businesses in 2015 and beyond. He was an engaging speaker and one of the trends came “home to roost” during my stay in Phoenix:
Everyday Stardom.
Bhargava mentioned that people today want to be made to feel like stars, given special treatment, treated as if you “know their names.” Let’s face it, when each of us are the masters of our own media universes, when “nobodies” can become famous overnight with a viral video, you can see how important it is to treat your market like the “stars” (they believe) they are.
At #ICON15, this trend was alive and well in the expo hall. =) Every booth you stopped by acted like they knew you, had heard of you, etc. “Oh — Women Who WOW…. I think I attended one of your events, right?” Maybe, I guess… but I highly suspect they were trained to act like EACH PERSON who stopped by the booth were celebrities in their own right.
Smart strategy. A few even asked to take pictures with me. lol…
While the realist in me was deeply suspicious of my own apparent “fame” on the west coast, this “everyday stardom” sure felt amazing! =) It made each booth a cool experience. I’ve even seen a few people posting their pictures with me in social media streams. Fun, fun, fun.
And uber smart for sales.
Let’s back up a bit to my arrival in Phoenix. I arrived about 12 hours late, having enjoyed just 3 hours of sleep… and endured plane delays, cancellations, etc. on my way there. FINALLY, I walk into the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn Midtown in Phoenix…. looking like a sewer rat, and feeling like one too. I was greeted with a HUGE smile from Juan, who was able to put me in a room — checking in (VERY) early at 11 AM. I was welcomed like a celebrity. They made concessions to get me in early –something I desperately needed and deeply appreciated. When I couldn’t find my room, Juan offered to meet me and walk me there. The hotel was beautiful, the rooms amazing, but the service…. The service DID make me feel like an “everyday star.”
The result? I’m raving about this hotel. And they have my forever loyalty. I’m a Hilton Garden Inn groupie now. Regardless of cost, location, etc… I’ll go out of my way to stay with this chain. This is the power of the Everyday Stardom trend impacting businesses today.
How can YOU roll out the red carpet for YOUR market this week?
Michelle – great story and perfect example! Just like you, when I have those kinds of experiences I tend to remember and really appreciate them. Now I just need to work my way up to “Bond status” where I am recognized at every hotel I stay at … much like James Bond. I’m not quite there, but hey, I can still dream about it, right? 🙂