|
Luxury Smart Genes: Create Your Very Own “Doogies”
By: Sheila Donnelly Theroux
The zeitgeist has everyone's notepad filled with survival tips: pare down, get lean and mean, make deals, cancel advertising, don't have the party. We are all intent on staying in the game.
|
  |
A look backward to science and a Princeton molecular-biology lab inspired our survival tips of the day. With an ordinary brown mouse named "Doogie" (the namesake of TV's Doogie Howser. MD), the SMART GENE was discovered. Doogie the mouse took rodent SATs. It was discovered that Doogie was able to learn more quickly, remember teachings for a longer time, and adapt to environmental change. His inherited SMART GENES, affect intelligence, memory and learned survival skills.
More than any other business, the luxury business is based on the desire to spend. How do luxury hoteliers adjust to the seasons before us and to find their Smart Genes?
SMART GENE TIPS:
SMART GENE 1: AIM FOR A CONSTANT STATE OF INTEL
Adapting to a new environment is tough for the luxury market because luxury is a practiced art and stereotypical way of thinking for a particular audience, whether bling-oriented or quiet wealth.
Luxury learning is already time consuming: It demands prescience, awareness and that 'magic eye' that the best hoteliers innately have. It's taking the time to love the arts: reading classics as well as modern and relevant business news, looking at a fine art exhibition, appreciate classical and hardcore grunge music. It's the ability to speak to anyone - prince or pauper. And being quiet to be able to think and watch for the signs of the times. It is the ability to read the pulses in the air.
Being alert to global luxury market change is a collective effort. As much of what we know has changed. Stylish meatloaf, mozzarella bars and watermelon as the new tomato are predicted for 2009 by Baum & Whiteman. The tip is: keep moving and searching for momentum.
SMART GENE 2: PARING THE TEAM
For the past two years, we have been worrying about this time coming. Why? The world didn't feel right; the anxiety was apparent but unspoken. Money coursing merely to stabilize. As companies pare down, the shrewdest staff their companies with those who can give Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hours that are needed. Pick employees who are smarter than you, so you have time to think. Mix up the ages, types and skills. That way they each bring a critical talent and can understand the family under stress rules are work days to meld into nights, weekends to weekdays.
SMART GENE 3: SOLO IS IMPOSSIBLE
At a recent Leading Hotels of the World event at the Taj Boston, I was struck by the number of independent hoteliers who were watching each other.
|
It was a 'mating' ritual. They were figuring out where the start line is and who was a winner.
Some were using all their senses like a Hawaiian wayfinder - checking out the wind, the stars, the waves, the sun and the moon. They were quietly looking for partners to help them get to land. Together they could study the customer and service his needs. Together they could speak about reinventing services that matter. They are trying to create a story with modern and personal communications and are using resources to make a series of irresistible little noises. They are bucking each other up and they are not cooling their heels.
Find a creative, open and thoughtful partner who has a Smart Gene.
SMART GENE 4: LAUGHTER AND OPTIMISM
Wit is the clearest sign of intelligence, my husband told me. I've worked hard at being funny ever since. Being a storyteller, shedding the corporate word doctrine for a laugh and brighter word, is genius in our business with journalists who are attracted to the great quote, the Smart Gene. And the public, trained to think: Holiday, Room Service, Picnic on a Beach or Family Gathering wants to know you are there in a good mood, appealing to that secret Smart Gene that encourages their learned playtime activity isn't always a staycation with their DVD player. Beguiling wit and irresistible charm are still good genes to show off in any economic situation.
SMART GENE 5: THE GOOD MEMORY (OR THEY'LL FORGET YOU IF YOU'RE NOT ON THEIR SCREEN)
How much space can a memory stick have? Lots if you don't fill it. Your customer has to be marketed to or he will forget you. Study, ask, communicate with him and find the exact right path to his business. Your memory bank says its not only one stagnant path anymore and that markets are changing. Some risk is involved.
These are our current five Smart Genes. They could change next week. Find yours and the game is on.
THE AUTHOR
Sheila Donnelly Theroux has a public relations firm with offices in New York, California and Hawaii. Her team has all these Smart Genes. www.sheiladonnelly.com
Sign up for Confidential Newsletter
Send this article to a friend
View other Insider Articles
|
|
|
| | | | Sign up for the Free WOW Confidential Newsletter |  |
Advertisement | |
BACK
