more, give them more," says Hodge. "They'll be motivated on their own to try new things." Also try harnessing the energy of a passionate owner or tea-
shop employee. Their leaf love can be contagious. When the well- traveled Hodge talks about his experiences visiting tea-growing regions, for example, he naturally educates in a highly engaging way. "One time I was sitting with this Longjing maker, just watch- ing him work," Hodge recalls. "Every time he stroked the leaf across the wok, he took some of it in his hand and looked at it. He was looking for slight variations in color. He had so much experi- ence it was registering in a place in his brain beyond imagining." Those types of anecdotes paint a far more compelling picture of
processing and the differences between teas than textbook defini- tions ever could. When it comes to education, the best businesses are those that give customers access to experiences, not just facts. "By placing it all in the context of someone's life, the differences are easier to remember," says Lorien, who is planning to tell the story of an upcoming oolong trip to Taiwan through pictures and videos in his shop. "They have a certain vibrancy to them, and then technicalities can stem from that." Ideally, you'll help customers reach a point where the basics are
no longer all they hunger for. "We've had examples where people really enjoy pu-erh tea, and we spent a great deal of time teaching them about brew times and temperature and what they can get out of it," says Marsland. "That's when you get a little more of a sophisticated tea lover."
freshcup.com July 2012
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