Last week I was in Denver for a tech conference. When I called to check in with my husband, he asked if I had gotten the pet fish. I didn’t know it, but one of the fun perks of my hotel was a goldfish for your room.
When I relayed this to my new friends at a late night dinner, they insisted that I had to get the fish, and of course, tweet about it.
So there I was, 1am Friday night at the reception counter, asking if it was too late to get the pet fish. “No problem – up in a minute” they told me. Not 5 minutes later, there was my personal fish concierge with my new flippered friend who I promptly dubbed Henry.
@MikeHale @DAVElatulippe @RafalTomal @jeffSARRIS @MARLAsarris @ArchWebDev @helenadenley pic.twitter.com/vfI79kK4qo
— Michelle Martello (@minimadesigns) May 10, 2014
Traveling can get a bit lonely – having Henry next to my bedside made it feel just a bit like more like home.
It may seem simple, even silly – but that one small gesture ensures I’ll remember that brand – and I will seek out this hotel chain for future travel. It’s quirky, endearing and makes for a memorable experience.
It got me thinking about the online experience. So many times we see the same layout, the same slider, the same language and opt-ins.
But what are we really doing to be memorable?
What can we do to show our personalities and endear ourselves to our audience?
For many of us (especially small companies and solopreneurs), our lives and brands are often intertwined – people connect with our personalities.
After Henry and I had a minute to bond, I of course obliged my new friends by tweeting his smiling face – and tweeting the hotel as well. The hotel had a fun quirky tweet back to me that I loved.
@Kimpton henry was a great buddy. and snores a lot less than my husband! much appreciation to the great staff!
— Michelle Martello (@minimadesigns) May 10, 2014
It shows that a real human responds with personality – and that makes me want to stay there even more. Who wants to stay at a bland hotel? We identify with the services and products that make us feel unique and special.
What is it you do for your clients that makes them feel special and unique?
How can you showcase this in a memorable online experience?
What’s your goldfish?
Great story Michelle. And it’s a great question-What’s your goldfish? I’ll have to work on that.
It’s simple, but memorable, right!
Nice! I may start offering a complimentary guinea pig with each new website. Hermit crab maybe? Working on it. 🙂
Good one Sam – however, I will say that the hotel had a “system” for fish circulation – Henry moved onto be a companion for someone else!
Authority Intensive was a great event. I just got on your list courtesy of one of my clients, and did not realize you were there. I’ll look for you next year.
“) MaryKay
Hi MaryKay – Sorry we didn’t get a chance to meet last week! I’m excited to go back next year – what a great event.
It is like finding your purple cow…as one of my co-workers puts it