Become an artist

Give customers an experience beyond the service itself. In this 2012 video from the Philippines, I describe a Manila guide who turned a historical walk into a show I was still buzzing about.

Give customers an experience with personality

I hadn’t been particularly enthusiastic about a historical tour. But the guide used costumes, music, humour and little competitions to bring the story to life.

He made us laugh and made following along exciting. For me, the tour became far more than information about the city. It was an experience I wanted to tell others about.

The extra is part of the work too

I was inspired by reading Seth Godin’s book Linchpin. I used the word artist for someone who puts something personal and extra into their work.

That could be the guide, but also an employee meeting customers with warmth and empathy. You don’t just do what’s necessary; you try to give the other person a good experience.

Find the way that suits you

I compared an ordinary tour with the experience we’d had. Prices and earnings in the video were my estimates back then, not a documented account of the guide’s business.

My point was that commitment and personality can make a service more special. It isn’t a promise of wealth or a claim that everyone needs to perform like that guide.

Watch the short clip below as an example of his storytelling. Then ask what you could put into your own work that gives customers something to remember.

A view outside Manila and a book about being an artist

I’m in Tagaytay outside Manila in the Philippines, looking at the volcano and beautiful green scenery. In the video, I say the volcano had been in what I call a partial eruption around six months earlier. Being so close fascinates me. It’s lovely to see such unspoilt surroundings in a country where I’ve otherwise experienced enormous congestion and noise.

I’m almost finished with Seth Godin’s book Linchpin. One point that stays with me is his idea of becoming an artist. As I understand it, it’s about putting something extra into what you do without that extra simply being something you’re separately paid for.

Think of a flight attendant. She’s paid to serve coffee, handle safety and various other tasks. But the warmth, empathy and extra service she can give customers is what I mean by art. Yes, the employer wants a smile, but not everyone gives that extra part of themselves.

Peter had recommended a historical walk

We’re in Manila to visit Peter Skovhus from 1902 Software. I’m interviewing him the next day, and we’re staying at his home. It’s a great experience. He arranged a tour where we’d hear Manila’s history.

I’ll be honest: I’m not particularly interested in history. I partly went for Peter’s sake. Of course I wanted to see the city, and Peter said the tour was good, but I was lukewarm and had reservations.

What I saw, however, was fantastic. I couldn’t remember the guide’s name for certain when recording my video, so I’ll stick to describing what he did. I took a short video of him even though he didn’t really want to be filmed. I was a little cheeky and said at the time that I couldn’t really see how it hurt him. That’s the short clip already included in this post.

Give customers an experience an ordinary tour doesn’t provide

We paid around DKK 130 per person for the walk. In Manila, I thought that was extremely expensive. I exaggerated for fun, saying you could almost get four farms, two volcanoes and a Mercedes for that money. Of course it was my illustration of how far money could go there.

Around 80 people turned up and paid. Then a little man arrived wearing a top hat. He looked at us with a knowing smile and launched into the wildest three-hour show.

He threw flowers into the air, put on costumes and performed as General MacArthur, whom I described as the American general in the Philippines during the Second World War. He also dressed as a Japanese kamikaze character. He moved through the city, shouted and screamed and played music from a boombox over his shoulder.

He made us laugh, and at one point he also had people quietly shedding tears. It was stand-up, entertainment and storytelling at a level I could barely comprehend. I laughed more or less for three hours straight.

He ran little competitions with chocolate prizes. His facial expressions could have people falling over laughing. He constantly changed costume, with a couple of assistants following carrying what he needed to play the next character.

The short clip shows his storytelling style

In the clip, he talks about priests, local Philippine languages, the king and the churches in Intramuros, among other things. He switches between narration and a dramatic role as king, acting angry and using voice and expression to make the point.

It’s a short excerpt from his show, and the historical claims in it are his account. The clip shows the kind of person I’m trying to describe. You don’t need to understand every word to get an idea of how he brings the experience alive.

Being a wage slave or putting something more into the work

Normally, I’d expect a walk through Manila’s streets to cost perhaps DKK 10. You might get solid knowledge, but also three hours of relative boredom if you weren’t particularly interested in history.

I’m harsh in my assessment in the video: I think many people telling history are mind-numbingly boring. The same can apply to teachers and others without much fun, mischief or spark. I’m sorry if I step on toes, but that’s the difference I’m highlighting.

For me, it’s the difference between being an artist and being a wage slave paid to perform a job. Perhaps you started with good intentions, but they’ve been drained from you. My reading of Godin’s point is that you have to choose how to live and work yourself.

You can do the work, get paid and go home to enjoy your free time. Or you can try having a great life while working too, put in the effort and enjoy what you do. You’re paid for something, but put something more into it.

The extra mile can make a difference to the business too

My claim in the video is that employees who give more of themselves are better placed and can get promoted. As an entrepreneur, passion and extra effort can bring more customers and a stronger brand. I see it in speakers, mechanics and others who go the extra mile others won’t.

So ask yourself: Will you be a boring storyteller like everyone else and charge DKK 10 for three hours? Or have great fun like the guide and go home with tips and many thousands of kroner?

At the time, I estimated his earnings at around DKK 8,000–9,000 on a tour with 80 people and said he did it three or four times a week. I thought that was an enormous amount of money in Manila. Those are my estimates from the experience, not his accounts.

My encouragement is to choose how you’ll put yourself into your work. Should it be fun, and could it become a better business? To me, that’s what the artist shows. I end with another look at the beautiful scenery. Have a fantastic time. Also read Skab din egen succes about finding your own path and enjoyment in what you do.

Also read about hotel experiences that stand out.

Best wishes, Martin