I don't care what business you're in...  You can take a lesson from these guys!

I don’t care what business you’re in… You can take a lesson from these guys!

I lived for a few years in Oregon, where there is a car service business named Oil Can Henry’s.

On the surface, you could describe Oil Can Henry’s much like any other drive-through oil change business. You line up in back, then drive into the garage. You’re parked over a mechanic’s bay in the garage floor, where the mechanic goes to work changing your oil. You don’t even have to get out of your car. You get service while you wait.

But it’s actually a lot more than that.

It’s a show. It’s an experience.

Everyone you see — from the person who greets you to the person changing your oil under the car — wears a bow tie. In fact, they have an entire Oil Can Henry’s uniform, with newsy cap and light pinstriped work shirt.

The entire experience — though completely modern in what’s being done to your car — takes you back. It gives you a feeling of the type of service you’d expect in “the good old days.”

When you drive up, you’re not just pointed to the bay to park in, you’re given a complimentary newspaper. You can choose to read while you get your oil changed, or watch the service take place from three separate camera angles.

You’re reminded that you’re not only getting an oil change, you’re getting a “Famous 20-Point Full-Service Oil Change.”

And every point of the oil change is done as a call and response between the team lead, and the technician responsible for completing the task.

“Remove oil plug!”

“Oil plug removed!”

“Drain oil!”

“Oil draining!”

“Remove filter!”

“Filter removed!”

“Replace filter!”

“Filter replaced!”

… And so on, through the entire process. Each step — both the call and the response — is shouted with confidence, so you feel like you know exactly what’s going on with your car.

It’s done with flourish. It’s done with excitement. You’re well-informed, every step of the way. In fact, you even get to participate — they make a big deal about involving you in making informed decisions on the service being done to your vehicle.

And most importantly, you’re entertained.

Is the service at Oil Can Henry’s superior to the service you’ll get elsewhere? Probably not.

Are their clients and customers more likely to come back and pay higher prices for the experience? Absolutely.

And this is your lesson.

If Oil Can Henry’s can turn an oil change into an entertainment experience, you can turn your business into an entertainment experience, too.

There’s a reason actors and sports stars get paid so much. There’s a reason Vegas and Disney go head-to-head for the most per-head revenue from vacationers.

They’re all in the entertainment business. And the entertainment business is the best-paying business on the planet.

But you don’t have to open a Vegas casino or a theme park to be in the entertainment business. You don’t have to put on a show — particularly not with your advertising!

What you have to do is be mindful of creating the best possible client experience.

How can you do what you do in an interesting, entertaining way that builds client confidence?

This is done by scripting delivery of your product or service. This is done by thinking through your process and your presentation. This is done by getting them involved and participating in the experience — making them feel like part of the show.

We’re all in the entertainment business today. At least, those of us who want to be paid well. The only question is, what are you doing to make it happen?

Yours for bigger breakthroughs,

Roy Furr

Editor, Breakthrough Marketing Secrets