The room was hot and smelly.
It probably had something to do with the fact that the room was 105 degrees and filled with sweaty people. And one of those sweaty people was yours truly.
I was participating in an aptly named “hot” yoga class and said heat was starting to get to me. It was my first class in many, many, years and, as you might imagine, my body wasn’t quite ready for the return.
The instructor noticed that I was turning a bit green and quickly grabbed me a beverage so I could get some sugar in my system.
I started to feel better and finished the 90-minute class.
So where’s the WOW!?
After the class, I wanted to settle my bill for the drink and a towel I needed to rent for the class.
Naturally, it turned out that I didn’t have any cash on me, so I told the instructor I would square up when I came in for my next class. Yes, I was going to go again.
Here’s the WOW!:
My next class was taught by Teri Almquist, the owner of Bikram Yoga Merrimack Valley. As I signed in, I handed her the $4 I had promised the other instructor I’d bring in. I told her what happened and why I was forking over the dough, and that’s when she handed it back to me and said, “The towel is on us for your first class. If my instructor was taking good care of you, that’s most important – so don’t worry about it.”
WOW!
This one simple gesture caused quite a ripple effect. After class, I ended up buying a book and a pair of yoga shorts (sorry, no pictures). That day, the Bikram Yoga studio turned my $4 into $40, just by a little act of generosity.
I’ve also been telling everyone I know about the experience – just look, here I am, telling you!
Hence the power of the WOW!
A WOW! experience doesn’t have to be some elaborate marketing scheme. Sometimes, it’s as simple as showing people you care. As a small business, you’re in a position to make seemingly simple decisions that make people say “WOW!” In turn, this turns them into loyal, raving fans who will help spread the word about your business.
So, if you want to feel great and you’re not afraid of a little, er, a lot of sweat, you know where I’ll be.
Do you have any examples of WOW! experiences? Tell us about them in the comments.
I've practiced Bikram hot yoga, so I understand what she was feeling — this is an awesome WOW! Nice job.
We have a motto at Bikram Yoga Merrimack Valley " All students will be loved, until they love themselves, then, we will love them even more." Thanks Dave. I am greatly enjoying having you in class and chatting about Constant Contact. Its been great for my business! -teri
Thanks for running a great studio Teri!