Vegas for Families, my trip to Orlando and money-tips for you!
July 27th, 2011 // 11:00 am @ Scott
Well it was a close call, but I’m darn sure I took more money home with me from Orlando than what I spent with the tourism industry down there.
Of course, they got me a few times, but my work in the “Las Vegas for Families”, will bring my clients and me compounding returns for years to come… it’s such a reassuring feeling, a position of power, to know what you do today not only pays you today but builds equity. What Dan Kennedy calls ‘Future Banking’.
At this point in time, I’m all about taking money off the table, and do so every single month.
However, I don’t touch a project, customer, business, or anything else that doesn’t result in a relationship with some future value attached to it.
Life’s too short.
Anyhow, coupled around a 2-part day of consulting, 2 client seminars, and two meetings with key people/private coaching members, all in Orlando, I added in a day of vacation with the family and two bonus days for them while I was ‘working’.
There’s some profit point here for you…
So, about Orlando, some lessons to share, a whole lot of things done very well!
Which was a refreshing change in pace from trying to do business and fuel the economy amongst the ignorant who run it.
My theory after leaving Orlando is this –
100% Pure Capitalistic Survival Amongst Every Person In The City
I’ve never seen such true hospitality, and, maybe I was lucky, I tend to give off the vibe when I sit down at the restaurant, step in line to the ride, or go just about anywhere that I mean business and expect the best experience possible – but still.
Multiple restaurants, days in Universal, different hotels, cab drivers, and everything else.
No complaints. Seriously.
I believe that those people down there,
1) Go to Orlando knowing they can make, for them, a decent living in hospitality, in tourism, and have fun doing it
2) If they work hard and appreciate the opportunity they have been given
3) And always remember that there is a line of people waiting all over the city, across the border, and in the unemployment line ready and willing to take over their job
Every person I ran into hustled for the customer. Deserved the money they got. And have no fear, I rewarded them handsomely.
Quickly, the trip.
We drove, since it’s only about 6 hours (less for me) from our home in South Carolina.
I had two back to back seminars, and finally a chance for the family to come along.
Our venue was just a few miles away from Universal and when my kids go, the dogs go so we stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn, always pet friendly, and I’ve yet to be disappointed for 5 or 6 years running.
The first thing I did when we got there was hire a driver for the 3 days because I knew driving, parking, etc would take up valuable time away from visiting and playing. Plus, there’s no way I’d have turned Maddy loose with the car down there (it’s a bit confusing, the Orlando streets, and that’d be on top of her directionally challenged issues that I’ve yet to find a GPS smart enough to fix).
(don’t worry she jokes about it too)
Anyhow.
The driver picked us up Thursday morning, hoping to be the first ones at the park…boy was I surprised – it was similar to a rock concert there were lines of people rushing in 30 and 45 minutes before the park opened, at 7:15am.
We grab our VIP, Express Lane Passes (a minimum of 50% higher on the ticket price) and we took off.
As you are well aware if you have not created and are charging for some premium version in your business, you are leaving so much money on the table, ALL THE PROFIT most likely.
And to be honest…I would never have gone if they didn’t have a Fast Pass program.
30 to 60 minute waits, you’d ride a few rides and your day is done.
In my case, I had but ONE DAY, if I couldn’t get it all in, I’d have passed. Period.
So, Universal would have lost one of its best customers, and I’m no exception, believe me, if they didn’t have this VIP version.
Next and probably the most fun part for me, other than riding with the kids, was seeing the enormous detail in every ride, the true to theme for every movie. I loved the congruency and the walking from one ride to the next being transcended into another world.
I’ve not been to Disney since I was a kid (more on that later) so I’m sure they do it even better.
But this was great. Especially the Harry Potter part of the theme park.
The food was themed. Of course the merchandise was themed. It was great just to watch and look at.
Are you congruent in your business…do you make it fun, a theme, an experience?
There were a few things I would have like to see:
- More characters out and about, from the rides, taking pictures, etc. Similar to what I imagine at Disney. Now to be fair, it could have been because they would have died in costume in the heat…but it was somewhat disappointing not to see.
- I would have loved a hard plastic card, like a cruise ship so I didn’t have to keep pulling out cash and carrying a wallet on all the rides. I couldn’t (wouldn’t) go on some of the water rides…a plastic card would have helped that, plus we probably would have spent more money.
- I would do even more with the VIP Express Pass people and/or have an even higher level of membership for other things…
All in all, I was impressed, and believe me it was no cheap fare, and it was worth every penny. Probably more. Especially for the experience, the kids being kids again.
Restaurants, we did it up right as we always do, because that’s a passion of mine.
I’ll only talk about Emeril’s who has the only actual ‘high-end’ restaurant in Universal and it was great. Of course I get impatient, but I know they take so long because they want to justify the price of the meal…all part of the show.
The staff at the hotel was always helpful and let the family stay for a RECORD late checkout of 4:00pm…yes, 4:00pm without charge.
This was so I could stay at the seminar until 4:00pm to help close down and catch any last minute possible sales.
Now, I say without charge, but the extra $50 bucks I slipped the guy at the counter, managing the checkout I’m sure had something to do with it.
I gotta tell you, I’m not impressed much and go into just about every situation knowing that I’m going to have to fight for good service, which I demand.
Not this time, YEAH!
The important things for You, from this, and my trip to Orlando, how you can profit from it…
Go back to your business and really check through things, see where you might be incongruent in your sales process and/or experience and/or delivery of your goods or services.
Make sure you have nothing working against you, sabotaging your customers experience and your ability to serve them.
You want to always condition your customers in advance of what to expect, but then, make sure you leave a little room to WOW them to beat their expectations to do more and over service.
Have higher price options. Premium services.
Don’t be scared of price, you must orchestrate your business for profits and remember you do a disservice to TWO people when you cheat yourself out of appropriately high prices –
YOU AND THE CUSTOMER!!!
If you are not charging enough to give a great experience…you’re going to lose.
(a side benefit of prices that people like me will pay is that you get a better customer, it was so refreshing not to see streets full of riff raff at Universal…prices keep them out (for the most part) and that makes the experience better for everyone…shitty customers sink ships as much as shitty service)
Last thing I’ll leave you with –
GO DO SOMETHING, spend your money, experience things…
I know you probably get tired of hearing me talk about this, but it’s so important.
If you want money coming to you, if you want to stay fresh in your business, if you want to have fun and make doing business with you fun – you’ve got to go out and experience stuff!!!
Hey, I had one day of vacation and two days of work while in Orlando…but that one day goes a long way to creating a lot of momentum and money flow in my life.
Have some fun, will ya…
(just remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but all play and no work makes Jack very very poor and pathetic)
Scott
P.S. Yes, don’t worry, we’ve already scheduled it, the day after Christmas we’re heading down to Disney for a week of magic, we’re thinking about bringing in the new year with the mice…how fun is that…I can’t wait.
*one last thing, I’m toying around with doing something crazy, not completely unique to me, but trust me, nothing like what I’m talking about here…
Since my writing about my trip to Chicago, I’ve either been asked, told, written to, or talked about, the fact that people would get a lot of value going on a trip or two with me.
No doubt, that’s an understatement. Well, I’m considering it. If you’d like to experience a “Scott Vacation” coupled with a very advanced and high powered mastermind with people from all over the country AND be entertained and truly adventure the city with me…if you’d like to get more money momentum flowing your way and have me personally make sure you turn experience into profit and get out of the boring mundane day-to-day BS in your business…let me know. You can reply back to this email.
My assistant is keeping a list of people who’ve inquired about the idea, who are seriously wanting to participate…we’re about half way to what I’d need to be willing to put this crazy thing together. It’d change your life, one city experience at a time. Let me know your thoughts and why you’d want in…maybe some things you’d like to do.
Be interesting, huh.
Category : Blog
