Chapter 14
When I was in college at UC Berkeley, I made a little extra money by waiting tables at a local Macaroni Grill. It wasn’t the finest Italian cuisine, but I enjoyed the food and had some friends who were already working at the same restaurant, so it was pretty cool. Just for fun, when my friends and I were all working the same shift, we played a little game with each other: whoever could make the most tips during the shift would collect $10 from each of the other players. With three of us playing at first, and then a few more coworkers jumping in, we sometimes had up to six people playing. If you won, you could make an extra $50! The energy was high, and I was determined to learn all the tricks to getting the most tips possible, every single time.
I picked up some good tricks, too. For example, whenever a family with kids came in, I learned that if I focused on making sure the kids were happy, I’d generally see a much larger tip. As a parent now, I completely understand: All a parent wants to do when eating out is have an event-free, tantrum-free meal, and that applies to all ages between zero and eighteen. Anyone who helps you make sure that happens is worth a little extra.
If an elementary school kid was at the table, it was easy: crayons. Specifically, red and blue. I kept a handful of red and blue crayons in my pocket so that in addition to the two random colors on the table, I could swing back around after taking the family’s order and pop a couple more crayons on the table for the kid. Why red and blue? Because those are typically kids’ favorite colors. Plus you can draw more things, like the sky and ocean, and hearts and flowers. If there were two or more kids at the table, I always made sure each kid had the exact same colors, no more, no less. Why? Because all it takes is one difference for a child to complain. Sharing is encouraged, but in a situation like this, two of the same thing makes sense.
There was good money here, but the best money came from (drum roll, please … ) regulars. Over a few months of waiting on some of the customers who made the restaurant part of their schedule, it became obvious that this was where the money could be made. Let me tell you about Albert and the three lemons.
Albert was a middle-aged businessman who often came in late in the evenings each week, in business attire, with a colleague or two. They had paperwork and seemed to discuss really important things, which was a sign for me to keep the chatter to a minimum. (That’s another tactic I used to get more tips: be just like your customer. If they talk to you a lot, talk to them a lot. If they’re short with words, then don’t talk more than you have to.)
I didn’t wait on Albert the first few times I saw him come in, but when I finally had a chance to wait on him, I looked for ways I could make his life even easier. First, I paid attention to his order. If it was the same the next time, then I could assume it would be “his usual.” Are there any special requests? Pay attention to those, too. I noticed that with his water, he asked for three lemons. Not some or a bunch, but three. Duly noted.
When getting that check back from his table the first time, his tip was pretty standard: $10 on a $60–$70 check. About 15 percent. But that check also told me something even more important: his name. The next time he came in, I was going to make sure Albert knew he was remembered and that he felt special.
The next time Albert walked in, I sat him and his colleague down and said I’d be right back to take their order. On my way back, I brought two waters and a little dish with three lemons on it for Albert. Then, remembering his name, I asked him in this manner, “Albert, what can I get for you tonight?” I didn’t do my usual spiel about the specials or wine, I just made it quick, and he was quick to answer: Carmela’s Chicken Rigatoni—again. Then, I followed up with, “Shall I call this your usual from now on, sir?” Then he paused, looked at me and said, “That would be fantastic!”
I made sure to seal the deal. “Just ask for Pat each time you come in. I’ll take care of you and your colleagues.”
Boom. It was a done deal. Every single time Albert came in, which was usually once a week, I served him when I was there. When I wasn’t there, my coworkers would tell me that he asked for me. Now, if you’re wondering how this kind of attention played a role in the size of his tips, then you’re like most people. Unfortunately, this is what gets most people in trouble.
Of course you’re wondering—I set up this whole chapter to be about the tip size—but the truth is, the tip size is a result of the service, and your earnings are a byproduct of how well you serve. When you go above and beyond to serve someone, you will be rewarded—sometimes in money, sometimes in exposure or referrals, and sometimes just with a thank you, but the universe has this amazing way of giving back to those who serve first. Let the money come from extraordinary service.
Yes, Albert’s tips were significantly higher. Not right away, but over time, the tips started ranging from $20–$25, with the largest being $100 when he brought his whole office in one day. And yes, each time Albert came in, my coworkers knew that I was probably going to be a front runner for our little game that day.
Serve first, pay attention to the individual, and you will be rewarded.
Now, you can’t just go and give three lemons to every person you wait on. That’d be a waste of lemons, and you wouldn’t be listening to the customer. Not all customers, audiences, subscribers, and followers are the same, but if you want someone to know you’re there for them, make them stick around and become a true, lifelong superfan by paying close attention to what they need and what you can do for them.
Now, can you possibly deliver individualized service to every fan in your audience? Again, probably not—but the three lemons example still gives us some hints about how to succeed. It’s as simple as remembering who people are and making your interactions with them about them, not you.
In fact, you can make a huge difference just by remembering someone’s name. As Dale Carnegie said in How to Win Friends and Influence People, “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”10 Greeting someone using their name—especially if they don’t expect you to—is a powerful signal that you’re interested in them as more than just another member of your audience. But you can and should go beyond simply remembering and using someone’s name. Remember other details of their lives: their business, their family, their hobbies. Then show curiosity—ask them about these things! They’ll be delighted.
I love to put this strategy into action when I attend live events. When I’m at a conference, I always make sure to look out for people in my audience I recognize, whether it’s folks who’ve bought my courses, active members of the Facebook community, or people I’ve talked to over email.
When I’m chatting with these fans, I make sure to show curiosity about them and what they’re working on. Often, people are pleasantly surprised when I show genuine interest in who they are and how their business is going. There’s a person in my audience named Tyler who’s purchased a lot of my courses. He’s been an engaged and supportive member of the SPI community for quite some time. I’ve even had several conversations with him via direct message where I’ve come to know a little bit about his family. When I met Tyler in person for the first time, we quickly launched into the kind of conversation you’d have with a longtime friend.
That’s the thing about the three lemons strategy: It’s not about the lemons. It’s about the fact you remembered the lemons. That you cared enough to consider what matters to the diner you’re serving, or the fan you’re talking to at a conference.
Be human. Be curious about people. Show that you’re excited to see them, and that you care about their needs and interests and the details of their lives. They’ll notice, and they’ll love it. Up next, the days of “You’ve got mail!” and the excitement we used to feel when we got a new email in our inbox may be long over, but there’s another type of messaging you can use in combination with the Remember the Lemons strategy to surprise and delight your dedicated fans and groom them into superfans.
10 Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People, 79.