Connection Before Craft: The Case For Not Being A Snob
“People need to respect the amount of work that goes into this coffee.”
“People need to respect coffee as much as they do wine.”
“People need to understand how special and rare this coffee is.”
“People need to understand how difficult my job is.”
No. They don’t.
These entitled views (some of which I’ve been guilty of having in the past) put the responsibility on our guests to do the hard work, when in reality it’s our job to guide them through the journey and give them a reason to care. The way to do this isn’t by telling them how great we are, or how much they should care about what we do—it’s to build an emotional connection with them.
It’s a trope at this point, but it’s true: People care more about the way you make them feel than anything else. So if we truly want our guests to respect the coffee and our craft, our primary focus should be on creating amazing experiences for them—making them feel welcome, engaged, and valued.
While craft is important, in the context of a business, its function is to pave a pathway to eliciting emotions and making memories. People may be interested in it or enchanted by it, but craft alone can only go so far. The deepest appreciation for our craft will only come after we’ve built a genuine emotional connection with the people we hope to serve.
Our guests don't exist as a means for us to pursue our craft—rather, our craft provides a conduit for delighting our guests.