My 3-Year-Old Appreciates Experience
On a dreary Sunday in early October 2022, my wife and I took our son to his very first monster truck show. As you can imagine, it was crowded, loud, and a sensory overload on many levels. With that said, there was something special about watching his excitement and awe as these oversized vehicles flew through the air. I even had more fun than expected.
As I was putting him to bed that night, I asked him, “What was your favorite part of the monster truck show?” I had expected him to say the fire-breathing robot that ate a car, Tiger Shark, Gunkster, or one of the other silly named trucks, or even the fairly intense laser light show. But no. He didn’t recite any of the truck names. He didn’t comment on any aspect of the over-the-top spectacle. He said the popcorn.
Seriously, the popcorn? The most basic of all stadium concessions. While he did eat an entire box, by himself, this answer still caught me off guard. So, I asked him why.
“Daddy, popcorn reminds me of rainy days and movies.”
A little backstory, on gross, rainy days, my wife tries to make them special by putting on a movie, warming up some microwave popcorn, and throwing a few chocolate chips and marshmallows to make it extra messy. And he loves it more than almost anything.
Max’s favorite part of the monster truck show was not popcorn for the sake of a snack to eat. Max’s favorite part of the monster truck show was popcorn because of the memory he associates with the act of eating it.
You want your taproom and beer to be associated with positive memories. Your beer is popcorn, and your taproom is that rainy day that Mom always tries to make as special as possible.
Your taproom is a place where experiences happen, and memories are made.
Make it a negative memory and the guest is unlikely to return. Transform an afternoon into something unforgettable and you can build a forever connection with that guest.
Watching a movie on a rainy day is alone a treat, just as visiting your taproom should be an enjoyable time. However, simply watching a movie or a standard taproom visit won’t create a lasting memory. On the flipside, just eating a box of popcorn or drinking a beer won’t usually be a monumental moment in your life either.
It’s the perfect combination at the right place at the right time.
It’s already being somewhere you enjoy, then having that experience escalated to the next level. It’s spending your birthday at your favorite local restaurant…then the staff comes out to serenade you. It’s that bridge you love to walk over in the park…then your significant other proposes to you on at sunset. It’s enjoying a delicious pint in a taproom…when the beertender unexpectedly calls you by name and asks how your day is going…when the server brings you the last bottle of a limited edition release you thought was sold-out…when you visit that farm brewery, walk through the field, and sip the perfect porter on a perfect Autumn Day.
These memories built in your taproom and at your brewery have power. That moment is way more valuable than a beer. Guests will begin to associate these wonderful life moments with your beer.
You want every time a guest sees your can on the shelf of the local supermarket for them to be reminded of the amazing time they had in your taproom last month – and not only purchase that 6-pack but come back soon. You want your beer to be associated with meaningful moments in their life.
How are you taking that taproom experience and making it transformative? How is your beer not just a drink someone will enjoy from time to time, but a beer that brings them back over and over again to you?
Gather your team together – owners, managers, taproom staff, brewers, everyone who works at your brewery – and complete the following exercise:
Ask everyone who is willing to share a memory that demonstrates a connection between a product and a positive, unforgettable experience.
As a team, create a list of the emotions associated with these experiences. Write it on a chalkboard, wall, or somewhere everyone can see. Are these words you want associated with your taproom?
Brainstorm a list of ways you can transform the action of drinking a beer in your taproom to something more memorable for your guests. There are no wrong answers. Jot down as many ideas as possible.
Have each team member select 3 strategies that they can implement.
Release everyone back into the wild to build forever connections between your guests and your brewery.
Good luck turning your taproom into popcorn on a rainy day.