How Bartending Prepared me for Agency Life
Working at a branding and digital agency can be as fast paced as a nightclub on a Saturday. Here’s what ten years of bartending experience taught me about my career.
Keep calm under pressure.
When people surround the bar like vultures, it is very similar to the way urgent tasks fly into your inbox. Keep calm, give your immediate attention to people who are ready to order, then move on to the next group. Keep knocking ’em out of the park until the night is over. Whatever you do, don’t try to serve everyone at once — multitasking leads to oversight.
Produce every project like you are working for a tip.
Your boss is not going to hand you a twenty whenever you do a great job, but he or she might buy you lunch. Good service is important no matter what field you are in. Good service means putting in extra effort to make sure the client is happy, which could be as simple as sending an authentic follow-up email. The market is too competitive to simply deliver an average product.
Remember details about people.
Anyone can give good service; it’s the personalization that keeps customers coming back. The age-old sales tactic of remembering someone’s name and something about them is still in play because it works. It gives your customer the sense that you care. If you remember someone’s favorite drink, or where your client took their last vacation, they will be impressed that you saved a little piece of them in your memory bank.
Listen, and let people know you are listening.
As a bartender, you do a lot of listening. Whether it’s a head nod or an “uh-huh,” the acknowledgement of letting someone know you are engaged in what they are saying is important in building rapport. Rapport in the bar business gains “regulars,” which can be the bread and butter when it comes to tips. Rapport in the office builds relationships with clients, leadership and colleagues.
Indulge in the fine art of conversation.
Conversation is truly an art; no one likes awkward silences, nor over-sharers. You need to find the balance. Bartending has given me plenty of practice balancing on the conversation tightrope. Not every conversation has to be goal-focused. It’s chitchat that builds rapport. Being a conversationalist helps in interviews, meetings and landing clients.
Hit the reset button at the end of the day.
In the bar industry, you can hang up your bottle opener at the end of your shift. There are no lingering deadlines, no last email to send — you just walk out of the door and your next shift starts fresh. In an agency setting, this is not the case. There is always work to be done — but don’t go home and stress about unfinished projects. Start each day with fresh eyes and a fresh attitude.
Look comfortable when doing uncomfortable things.
Have you ever told a man who looks like he could bench-press a car that you will no longer be serving him because he’s had too much to drink? Well I have… If my voice was shaking and my posture reflected my unease, Mr. Muscle would have laughed and demanded another drink. You may have that same gut-wrenching feeling of unease when you go into your quarterly review or present a new idea to leadership. But taking a deep breath in and proceeding with confidence helps steer conversations toward the desired outcome.
Let it go.
Whether the kitchen overcooks a customer’s steak or the printer sizes your client’s graphic incorrectly, you are the one who has to take responsibility. Sometimes you may be blamed for things completely out of your control, but you just have to take the brunt of it. Apologize, say your piece in a calm manner, do what you can to fix it and move on. Do your best not to let it happen again, but don’t let it weigh you down.
While I choose to sling content by day and drinks by night, you don’t have go out and get a bar job to learn these skills. Be aware of experiences and environments outside of agency life that can enhance your abilities and grow your career. Cheers!
