LOVING THE LEARNING continued from page 35
more, we are totally there for them," says Lorien. "But it's like a song. If they don't hear the whole album, they might want to come back to hear another song and have a different experience."
When it comes to education, the best stores are those that give customers access to experiences, not just facts.
CONNECT TO PASSION When it comes right down to it, tea education is just another
shade of tea enthusiasm. No one is being forced to come into your shop to learn about what water temperature is best for white tea or which regions are renowned for oolongs. Consumers will learn when doing so is fun, and that feeling occurs only when patrons are inspired by the product. How does an owner build that inspiration? There's the simple
magic of tasting, covered above. But it may be wise to also keep in mind that different people tend to gravitate to different tea types. "We see that most often," says Marsland. "They'll consume it and just explore more and more." Instead of trying to force a customer to immediately see the full width of the tea world, try to feed the connection they have with one category. "If they're asking for
36
Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com