What’s That Sound?

What sound does your phone make when someone calls you?

Does your phone sound like everyone else’s phone? Or is it a clip from Family Guy, or maybe the sound of two lightsabers clashing against each other? Or, maybe, it’s just a standard ringer tone. Something normal. Something average.

Years ago, I had the enormous pleasure of sitting in on a talk that Jesh de Rox gave to a group of photographers. Jesh is a very unique individual in the portrait photography world because he is continually pushing himself to create remarkable experiences for the people and couples he photographs. When he accomplishes one of these remarkable moments with people, he records that event through the lens of his camera. The photos are simply a bi-product of the experiences he helps create and facilitate.

During his talk, Jesh shared an example from a florist he had done some coaching with. This florist was hoping to transform ordinary interactions with her brides/grooms into something unique and exciting. What resulted from this, was a unique way in which a price quote would be shared with a potential client. (Price was always presented at a second meeting, after the initial consult.)

When a couple returned to receive and discuss the price quote they were being offered by the florist, they did not find a simple sheet of paper with prices and descriptions on it, but rather, a beautifully folded masterpiece of origami flowers. The couple was presented with the origami folded “bouquet” and asked to disassemble it. Within was a detailed price quote for the flowers for their wedding.

This unique and unexpected experience caused the florist’s sales to shoot through the roof.

So what does this have to do with a ringtone on a telephone?

I once recorded my oldest daughter laughing. She was giggling, laughing hysterically and completely out of control. The recording was made when she was just 18 months old. I then turned the recording into my ringtone.

At all of my sales consultation or planning sessions, I do not set my phone to “silent” mode. If it ends up ringing, my daughter’s giggling fills the air, putting a smile on all faces within earshot. Then I apologize and set my phone into silent mode. What often ensues are a couple of questions about the ringtone, conversation about my daughter and compliments on how wonderful a sound her laughter is…thus, creating a unique moment the wedding couple was not expecting. Something fun, something different, a small and unexpected experience.

After listening to Jesh de Rox speak that day, I have come to better appreciate not only the what, but the how. I am constantly searching for how to make the mundane and normal come through instead, as extraordinary and exceptional.

How things are done, while sometimes perceived as silly, can impact people’s experience of the what in a fantastic way. Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to the experience economy.

This is but one small example of an everyday experience (a ringing phone) that could very easily be normal…or…it could be something unique.

I’m not average. Neither is my ringtone, or the service I provide, or the feelings I create at my weddings.

So…what about your ringtone?

~ Dave




2 thoughts on “What’s That Sound?”

  1. One of the funniest bits from The Office was that Steve Carell’s character, Micheal Scott (the boss of a paper compeny), had “My Humps” by the Black Eyed Peas as his ringtone. Small Thing = Big Impact

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