Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Top Ten Graycliff Docent Tips!

At the suggestion of Diane Schrenk, President and docent herself, we reached out to a couple of Graycliff docents and asked them for their top tips for Graycliff docents. You've probably developed some yourself...please share through the comments at the bottom of the page!



TOP TEN TIPS FOR GRAYCLIFF DOCENTS



1.      One docent says:  I truly consider each and every person who visits as a "guest" --- and try to treat them as Isabelle would have.   Everyone who visits is a VIP --- you never know who might be on a tour!

2.      Tell guests that Graycliff is a work in progress; come back again and see the changes.  Tell them they are lucky to see the site evolve into what it will become. 
a.      You can say that we don't very often get to see an ongoing restoration.  Many places completely close or completely close off the area being worked on --- we do our best to let our tours see everything.  


3.      Two Differing Opinions:
a.       If you truly want to keep their attention, never stop talking.  As soon as you stop, they will start conversing with each other and you will find it hard to get their attention back.  You are in control, don't give it up. 
b.        Another docent says:  I like to know who is on my tour, where they are from and what other FLW sites they have visited.  This helps me connect with them.   It also promotes connection between visitors. I encourage my tour people to interact with each other --- and I still maintain control .


4.      Be yourself; don’t be stiff or formal (unless you’re naturally stiff and formal...if that’s the case, try yoga!)    Be casual, always smiling and slip in a joke wherever you can. 
a.      When explaining the rules for the tour at the model, one docent sometimes tells visitors that they need to stay together as a group and if there are stragglers he will just have to shoot them.  They laugh but you then he  knows they were listening. 
b.      He sometimes makes a joke about the stylish booties we wear and that they are really trending right now.  
Stylish, trending booties!
c.      Or informing visitors that the only restrooms are in the Pavilion, and that if they use the ones in the house, the visitor will have to clean it out themselves.
d.      Be cheerful and happy and find your individual style.  New docents sometimes get too tied up in telling things at a certain location (and it has to be that way until they develop a style)
                                                    i.     The best way to develop a personal style is to give frequent tours!  The more practice you have, the more comfortable you are, and the most knowledge you have at your fingertips.
                                                   ii.     Find ways to have fun with the tour. Our tallest docent stands in the fireplace and tell peoples people he is 6'6" and weighs 300 lb and that he has never found a fireplace big enough for him to stand in much less have 2 more of him to his right and two more of him to his left and still have enough space for all five dance a jig.

5.      Be a story teller; bring the Martins and Wright to life by making their stories real for the guests.
a.      The more you know, the more you can tell, the more questions you can answer, the more different directions some aspects of your tour can go in.  Never stop learning and researching the history of that period of Buffalo or Wright, or the Martins.
b.      But if a visitor tells you something during a tour (or even another docent you have shadowed), please don’t include that info in later tours…it may or may not be true!  Consult the tour text…



6.         When someone asks a question that you intend to cover a little later in the tour just state "Coming attractions"  and explain that you will get to that in a  few minutes.  When someone again asks a question that you know you are going to cover more in sequence a little later just say "coming attractions"  again and everyone will know what you mean without further explanation.                                                                                                               
              It keeps you from having to get ahead of yourself in your tour, but when you do get to the point asked about, acknowledge the person and ask if that answered their question.  They appreciate your acknowledgment of them.

7.      Don't let yourself be backed into a corner and be out-Wrighted.  Many of our guests think they know more about Wright than we do and some really do.  When asked a question that you are somewhat unsure of, tell them you are not sure but would be happy to check and get back to them on it if they want to leave a phone number or email address (they never do)

8.      Be aware of your guests physical needs. People with canes or limping will likely have trouble completing the tour.  Tell someone with a cane that a golf cart will be on the tour (rather than asking if they'd like assistance or would like a golf cart...just say that the golf cart will be with the tour.)
a.      You've probably noticed that some people are reluctant to use the cart---and this really slows down your tour and the visitors see less than they would otherwise 
b.      So have the golf cart with a driver handy at the start of the tour…or even at the pillars….and the visitor will often climb on board.
9.      Keep your cell phone in your pocket with the Pavilion number (947-9217)  in memory so that when noticed after your tour begins, you can quickly call the Pavilion and ask if someone is available to bring a cart up.  When using your cellphone, make sure you are not roaming on a Canadian tower; a $4.50 charge applies. 

10.   Mention how important our members are a few times throughout the tour…perhaps in specific ways…members have helped contribute with each stage of restoration (windows restoration, landscape restoration,)
 a. Memberships help keep the Estate going each year, such as paying for heating the buildings all winter when there are few tours. 
b. Memberships paid for the golf cart, and paid for the lawn mower, and paid for the annual flowers they see.
a.      Talking about membership only on the Tennis Court generally doesn't work.







 Marcy Workman and George Struebel each contributed the tips above….they each feel that more interaction among docents and volunteers would be valuable.




  Do you?  If so, would you be willing to come to a gathering?




Do you agree or disagree?  Are there more important tips that should be in the TOP TEN? 


   Or should there be a TOP TWENTY, and if so what else? 
                     Feel free to Post a Comment below!


Monday, June 23, 2014

Thank you to Everyone!

Thank you to all everyone who has volunteered in the last week....those who volunteered at Starry Night  at the Botanical Gardens: Nancy McNaughton, Loretta Davis, Bev Nenno, Karen & Jerry Procknal and Doug Smith, which was a big success!

And all the Docents who have given tours as the season heats up...literally and figuratively!

And the volunteers who helped out with the Summer Solstice: Jim Alves, Gerry Przybylski,Barb Abbatoy, May Kay DiPaolo, Karen & Jerry Procknal, David & Gail Solowski and Ed Qualey

And especially to Earle Newman, who continues to strive manfully to meet the demands of the rapidly growing grass, the pond algae (we now have barley bundles to help keep the algae under control) and so much more.

A note of thanks to the Green Team for stepping up to help Earle with the overwhelming task of all that growing green!

Dave Solowski and Jim Alves

Gail Solowski, Barb Abbatoy and May Kay DiPaolo

President Diane Schrenk with her husband Fred Schrenk, also a Graycliffian!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Exciting News!

Dear Docents, Green Team, Housekeeping, Chaperones and all Volunteers:

This morning, a new commercial began to air on all three major local television stations,primarily during morning and evening news broadcasts on Channels WGRZ (Channel 2); WIVB (Channel 4); WKBW (Channel 7);  WUTV Channel 29 (Fox News); and, in a slightly modified format,  on WNED/PBS on Masterpiece Theater and Antiques Roadshow (Channel 17.)  They are slated to air repeatedly until mid to late September.

You may have seen the earlier commercial for Buffalo Exterminating for the Buffalo Zoo….this is similar.  When the Buffalo Zoo commercials started to air, the Zoo’s attendance rose dramatically.  We expect the same to happen at Graycliff.  For this reason, we ask you to please consider devoting extra time to Graycliff this summer and fall if at all possible.  We will have to offer additional tours every day to accommodate the expected crowds.

When the commercials end, we expect attendance to fall to more normal levels, but until then, we hope that you will help in any way that you can.

Housekeeping, with this increase, the buildings may need extra care.  Green Team, please do everything you can to make sure that our plants, etc. are looking their best.  Earle Newman, one reason Graycliff looks as good as it does in the commercial is because of your extraordinary efforts to keep the lawns mowed and looking their best.  Docent and chaperones, the  heaviest burden here will fall on your shoulders.  Can you please give us extra help this season?  This is quite an extraordinary opportunity, and we will be forever grateful for your help.

The commercial will air throughout WNY, all the way to Rochester.  It will also air in Southern Ontario, all the way to Toronto. We would predict that there will be many people who are not Wright aficionados, but instead folks for whom this will be their first exposure to Wright’s architecture.  Thus,  we suspect that most will request one hour tours, but we just don’t know.  Please do you best to encourage membership, and as you always do so well, make their experience an enjoyable one.

This should be an amazing experience for us all.  Your friends and family who have been telling you for ages that they plan to finally get to Graycliff this summer will probably actually do so, now.  (At least that’s what I expect to happen to me!)  J

It will only last a few months, so thank you in advance for any extra help you can give.

It's now posted on the front page of our website, at Graycliff website


Thank you so much for all you do for Graycliff!


Monday, June 9, 2014

Starry Night In the Garden

Calling all volunteers!  Graycliff has once again been invited to have a booth at the Starry Night event at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens on Wed., June 18th.  The event runs from 6:00 - 9:00 PM.  We already have a few volunteers to assist with disseminating information about Gracliff, and recruiting members and volunteers (thank you Doug Smith and Nancy McNaughton!), but we are looking for at least 1-2 more individuals to help out with each of two shifts - 5:00 - 7:15 PM, and 7:15 - 9:00 PM.  Volunteers who attended this event last year spoke very highly of the event and the benefits to Graycliff of participating.  If you can help out, please send an email either to:
Graycliff
Or:
Volunteer Co-Chair Kathy Mehltretter

Great Work, Graycliff Volunteers!

Thank you to each and every Graycliff volunteer...as you can see on the right, Graycliff was awarded a Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor.  Why?  Well, TripaDvisor reviewers consistently mentioned the wonderful docents, and how lovely the buildings and grounds look.


This past weekend, three docents received rounds of applause from their visitors after tours.  Isn't that amazing?  All of our docents are admired by our visitors.....every tour is asked if they enjoyed their tour on their return to the Pavilion, and every single one says how delightful and informative their docent had been.


The grounds and gardens look particularly lovely this year.  Thank you to the Green Team for all their hard work.  And an ESPECIALLY big thank you to Earle Newman for mowing, and mowing and mowing...with all the rain, the grass is growing like gangbusters!  (Hope it slows way down in a couple of weeks, as we get closer to July/August dryer weather as it usually does...the poor guy needs a break!)

Thank you, also, to the Housekeeping Teams, who are keeping the building interior looking terrific....and following historic preservation guidelines as they do so.

And last but not least, thank you to all the Special Events volunteers, who have started off the season with several events.  In fact, one is coming right up....please also see the post from Phyllis Spears and Kathy Mehltretter.

Apparently our volunteers are not only hard working and dedicated...they are also color-coordinated!

Especially hard working Earle Newman

Docents and Green Team members hear Nellie Gardener

Ferns planted by Green Team

Watch Out!  This is poison ivy...it's near the service driveway.

Joand and Phyllis were just two of the volunteers who helped get out a recent mailing...and special events volunteers helped carry out the events!

John and Dale in colder weather just a few weeks ago