The Celebrity Experience

J. Crew giving The Celebrity Experience?

2008-04-24T03:55:00.000-07:00

Jackie Huba, over at The Church of the Customer Blog, shares an experience she had at J.Crew that sounds suspiciously like STAR Treatment! Check it out and then tell me if you don't think CEO Mickey Drexler is practicing the art of "and then some."

If you've read The Celebrity Experience, you know what I mean by "and then some." It's not just about giving good service but about adding those unexpected touches that WOW your customer and...dare I say it....make them feel like celebrities!

Pardon me while I head over to J. Crew for a little star treatment!

Kirsten Harrell reviews The Celebrity Experience

2008-04-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

Kirsten Harrell posted a review of The Celebrity Experience over at her blog. Thanks Kirsten.

While you're there, check out ipopins! Quick affirmations you can shuffle with your music on your ipod. Mine keep me thinking positive while I'm on the road.

Donna Cutting

DonnaCuttingShortDemo

2008-03-31T20:19:00.001-07:00

Working on a demo video - but in the meantime, here are a few clips of me speaking. Check it out.

The Celebrity Experience Book Signing

2008-03-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

I have two book signings coming up, and I would love to meet you there!

The first is in my home state of Massachusetts, right up the street from where I went to high school.

Saturday, March 29, 2008
Baker Books
69 State Street
N Dartmouth, MA
I'll be there from 2pm until 5pm

The next is in my current home of Tampa Bay, Florida

Saturday, April 12, 2008
Barnes and Noble Carrollwood
11802 N Dale Mabry Blvd
Tampa, Florida
I'll be there from 7pm until 9pm
Entertainment provided by Dave Timmons and friends.....

Check out the blog post about this event on the Jobing.com website.

I would love to see you at either event!

WOW Patrol #2

2008-03-17T15:37:00.001-07:00

One more video from the WOW Patrol! I just love this!!!

WOW Patrol #1

2008-03-17T15:36:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful way to reward your team for giving exceptional customer service. Kudos to the City of Dallas.

The Celebrity Experience Gets Reviewed

2008-03-17T04:36:00.000-07:00

Check out this review of The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red-Carpet Customer Service, written by Phil Gerbyshak on Joyful Jubilant Learning.

Phil is a customer service manager, author, speaker and brand experts. You can catch his blogs over at Make It Great (also the title of his book) and Slacker Manager.

Thanks, Phil! So glad you enjoyed the book.

Donna Cutting

The Celebrity Experience: Star Power Part I

2008-03-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

Check out the interview that Business Growth Strategist, Jeff Blackman, did with me recently. Jeff is a good friend and author of "Stop Whining and Start Selling."

The Celebrity Experience: Customers Are Always

2008-02-21T03:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with Caroline Spencer, the owner of Wilsey Automotive in St. Petersburg, Florida. It was the first time I had met her - although she is mentioned in The Celebrity Experience. A friend had submitted a story that showed one example of Caroline's exceptional service.

However, meeting her yesterday I learned that there was much more to her red carpet service than is in the book. Caroline and her team have mastered the art of "and then some" and a culture of YES!

She told me, "I tell my employees that if someone comes in and wants a pound of butter, drive to the store and get them a pound of butter." Not bad service for an auto mechanic, eh? Not to mention her $10.00 a day rental cars and the fact that she's been known to pick up her customers at their homes if need be.

Over at Customers are Always, Maria Palma has some interesting observations about creating that type of culture. Some interesting discussion by her readers as well. Check it out.

Donna Cutting

800 CEO Read Offers FREE Shipping On The Celebrity Experience!

2008-02-14T14:21:00.000-08:00

800 CEO Read is a fabulous company that offers discounts on bulk orders of books. I say they are fabulous because when they say they can get you your books fast, they mean it!

Being a new author, who has never sold products before, I had forgotten to order books to take to one of my speaking engagement. I called 800CEORead and they had my books there the next day. I was blown away!!!

In any case, I just ran across this blog post by Roy over at 800CEORead.com. In it, he mentions that they are offering free shipping on The Celebrity Experience until March 1, 2008. It's a great deal, especially if you want to purchase books for everyone in your company - as many of my readers have told me they've done.

Thanks Roy, for such a great deal!

Donna Cutting

The Celebrity Experience: Treat Customers Special

2008-02-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

This article by Michael Minks was published in Investors Business Daily and picked up by CNN Money, Yahoo Finance, and Accountability Central.

Feb. 5, 2008 (Investor's Business Daily delivered by Newstex) --
Every leader knows that customer service can save and make his firm money. Every consumer knows what it's like to get great customer service; when we do, we wonder why it's the exception and not the rule.
Here's how companies can make it the rule:
Decide who you are. Change your company culture and "commit to being extraordinary so your customers walk away saying 'wow,' and then come back and bring a friend," said Donna Cutting, author of "The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets To Delivering Red-Carpet Customer Service."

Read the rest of the article here.

Then Read The Celebrity Experience.

The Celebrity Experience: Marketing Secrets of Celebrities

2008-01-21T10:17:00.000-08:00

Just found this fabulous article about Celebrity Marketing Secrets. It's currently running in Successful Promotions magazine and was written by Kenneth Hein. The article is called Star Power and quotes yours truly.

Learn more about Hollywood branding and customer service secrets in The Celebrity Experience.

Donna Cutting

The Celebrity Experience: The danger of giving bad customer service

2008-01-18T14:33:00.001-08:00

The problem with failing to provide an exceptional experience for your customers is that word of mouth travels fast...much faster than it used to. Four out of five people say they stopped doing business with a company due to bad customer service, and in the past they would vent to a few friends and be done with it. Enter blogs. Now, people everywhere have an easy way to communicate their dissatisfaction with your company to millions worldwide.

As an example check out this post by Tom Vander Well on QA QnA posting a note by a very dissatisfied customer.

The good news is that sixty percent of people say that outstanding customer service is their main reason for recommending a company.

Wouldn't you rather be on the receiving end of the latter? The companies featured in The Celebrity Experience get this, and their bottom line refects their service attitude.

What kind of buzz surrounds your company?

2008-01-18T13:40:00.001-08:00

An article about The Celebrity Experience was posted on WeekendEntrepreneur.com, Entrepreneur.com and WomanEntrepreneur.com. Check out Give Your Clients Red-Carpet Treatment.

About The Celebrity Experience

2007-12-12T06:41:00.001-08:00

From the Inside Flap
Imagine a world where red carpets were rolled out for you wherever you went and you were always greeted by name and with a smile. Imagine being admired and complimented by strangers on a daily basis. Imagine if those who did business with you always bent over backwards to cater to your personal desires and needs. If that sounds like a fantasyland, it is. And it's called Hollywood.
Every day, Hollywood's biggest superstars live out that fantasy, receiving red-carpet treatment virtually everywhere they go. But they aren't the only ones. More and more, companies are realizing that when they treat their customers like VIPs, those customers keep coming back and help spread the word.
For business owners, entrepreneurs, or anyone who works in a service industry, The Celebrity Experience shows how to turn customers into lifelong, adoring clients by delivering consistent red-carpet customer service. Based on hundreds of interviews with professionals who exclusively serve celebrity clients, author Donna Cutting shows you how to make every customer feel like a superstar.
Combining the best practices of the Hollywood celebrity scene with those of the business world, The Celebrity Experience presents simple, effective ways to:
· Make red-carpet first impressions on new customers
· Give them what they want and earn customers for life
· Generate buzz and positive word-of-mouth by delivering what you promise
· Improve your customer service performance by putting employees first
· Develop the creativity and flexibility to deliver on every customer request
· Succeed by putting your customers' interests ahead of your own
In addition to celebrity ideas you can implement in your business immediately, The Celebrity Experience also includes stories from celebrities themselves and real-world examplesof successful companies that go above and beyond to deliver impeccable service for their customers. Today, it's often customer service that separates good companies from great ones. The Celebrity Experience shows you how to put your business on the customer service A-list.

Buzz About The Celebrity Experience

2007-12-12T06:17:00.001-08:00

“You can still taste that unique moment when, as a customer, you received star treatment. Akin to the first bite of a chocolate covered strawberry, it lingers on the taste buds. The Celebrity Experience provides you with the perfect recipe for creating the sweet aftertaste of wonderous service.” Bob Danzig, former CEO, Hearst Newspapers and author, speaker and professor.

“You can’t focus on the customer until you develop the right attitudes in your team. The Celebrity Experience is proof that you can treat your customers like stars and improve the bottom line.” Howard D. Putnam, former CEO, Southwest Airlines and author of The Winds of Turbulence

“The Celebrity Experience precisely and lighheartedly details the way we would all love to be treated. You may not always get the celebrity treatment, but there is no longer any excuse for failing to provide such an experience for your customers. The great stories, targeted examples, and wise asides all combine for a good read.” Stephen C. Lundin, author of the Fish! series of books and co-author of Top Performer: A Bold Approach to Sales and Service.

“Imagine a world where every customer receives nothing but red-carpet service. A fantasy? A pipe dream? Not anymore. In Cutting’s wonderful new book, we learn how easy – and profitable – it is to create the celebrity experience for our customers. A worthwhile read, that challenges assumptions, provides techniques, and inspires action, this may be the most beneficial book you read all year.” Phillip Van Hooser, author of Willie’s Way: 6 Secrets for Wooing, Wowing, and Winning Customers and Their Loyalty

“Cutting’s charming book is overflowing with practical ideas, delightful stories, and amazing examples of organizations that treat their customers – and their employees – like stars. I could hardly put it down! Not only does the celebrity experience create loyal customers, but it also makes workplaces lots more fun. Thank you, Donna, for helping us all look at service through Hollywood’s eyes.” Barbara Glanz, professional speaker and author of CARE Packages for Your Customers and coauthor of The Simple Truths of Service as Inspired by Johnny the Bagger.

“It’s said there’s not a lot of traffic on the extra mile. Well, The Celebrity Experience goes there with its real-world examples and specific suggestions. Cutting’s delightful style, blended with her focus on bottom-line results, makes this book a must for anyone who deals with the public.” Sam Horn, 15-time emcee of the Maui Writers Conference and author of POP! Stand Out in Any Crowd.

“The Celebrity Experience is rock solid. Not only does Donna Cutting share what any business can do to give red-carpet customer service, the examples and case studies she includes make this practical book interesting, easy to read, and, frankly, fun! Anyone who has a business or professional practice should buy a copy immediately.” Susan RoAne, keynote speaker and author of How to Work a Room.

“Can everyone please read this book? I want to be treated like a celebrity! Put the person back into personal service and gain clients who love to praise you and pay you. Donna Cutting has written an enlightening, powerful, and fun guide so you can make every client feel like a star!” Chellie Campbell, author of Zero to Zillionaire and The Wealthy Spirit

“As Donna Cutting highlights in The Celebrity Experience, each of us wants to be treated with personalized, compassionate, and just plain special attention. At Country Meadows Retirement Communities, we are preparing to serve the seniors of the future. The celebrity experience is exactly what Baby Boomers will expect from their independent and assisted living providers.” G. Michael Leader, President and CEO, Country Meadows Retirement Communities