A Customer Experience Lesson from Country Music

Happy Customer Experience Day!

Yes, it’s a real holiday . And it’s today! I’m celebrating in the most epic way I can imagine: Speaking to 1,500 members of the OrangeTheory Fitness family at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee. ??

I’m going on stage in about an hour. I’ll definitely be sharing more on my socials, but this morning, in honor of the epic venue, I want to reflect on the power of storytelling. Believe it or not, country music and customer experience have a LOT more in common than you might think at first glance. And no, this isn’t a setup for a joke about the experience of losing your wife, your truck, or your dog! ??

Country music, like many genres, has always been about great storytelling. One of the paradoxes of songwriting is this: the more personal a lyric is, the more universal its appeal. The more specificity you can put into a detail, the more people who will react to it.

It seems strange at first, right? Wouldn’t a more general sentiment connect with more people? In a word? No. The magic in songs — just like the magic in the stories you share with prospects and customers — is in the details. Our brains think in pictures. The more details we hear, the more concrete images we can create in our minds… highly-personalized pictures specific to us.

When we hear someone sing about their hometown, we think about our hometown.?

When someone talks about their job, we think about our job.

The more specific the details in the stories you share, the more personable—and memorable—you become to your audience. What specific details can you share to better connect with those who need to hear your unique, powerful message?

Yesterday, OrangeTheory Fitness welcomed famous restaurateur and author of Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara , to the Opry. He shared several stories illustrating how he transformed Eleven Madison Park into the best restaurant in the world.?

He recounted several examples of his staff going above and beyond for customers. On a particularly busy night at Eleven Madison Park, Will was clearing the plates for his waitstaff when he overheard his customers talking about all the “foodie” items they had crossed off their bucket list during their trip to New York City. They concluded that the only thing they didn’t get to do before their morning flight was get a classic NYC hotdog.?

Without saying a word, Will ran down the street, bought a “dirty water dog,” and asked his world-class chef to garnish and plate it beautifully. By staying present in the moment, he was able to understand his customer's story and create a WOW moment.

Will shared several other heartwarming stories of setting up a sledding experience at Central Park for a family and an impromptu first dance for a couple celebrating their recent courthouse wedding. Such instances of “unreasonable hospitality” became the standard for his restaurant.?

Whether you’re sharing your story on a literal stage or in a social post, remember that the magic is in the details. Just like a powerful song that resonates deeply, the stories you tell can create vivid images and lasting emotions. When you add those specific, personal touches, your audience doesn’t just hear your story—they feel it.

And when people feel connected to your story, they’re more likely to become your superfans.

On the latest episode of the Creating Superfans podcast, I chatted with my good friend, Erin King. Creator of the first scientific assessment for personal human energy, Erin is one of the world’s leading personal energy management experts. She shares her tips for identifying and harnessing your energy type so you can be the very best version of yourself.

Listen to the episode here, or search for Creating Superfans wherever you get your podcasts.

Catch up on the 40th (!!) episode of the SUPER AMAZING Show! This week, Shep finally shares the definition of his favorite word: Amazing!?

Being "predictably amazing" might not mean what you think it means... Watch today's episode to learn more!

Watch here:

“Great stories happen to those who can tell them.” - Ira Glass