In June of 1987, I took a waiter’s job at Paolo’s in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C. Its manager, Michael O’Grady, was destined to become my mentor and friend. In October of 2003, Michael passed away. He was a charismatic pied piper who inspired hundreds of managers, servers, and bartenders. This is Part 13 of the series that will honor him and explore the practices that made Michael extraordinary.

pselling is often perceived as trickery. Suspicion abounds from guests and restaurateurs. Yet, for Michael, selling was guiding and enlightening—helping guests find what they wanted or inspiring them to try new things. Great salesmanship was an integral part of creating an outstanding guest experience— never at odds with the spirit of hospitality but a vital part of it. So how did Michael work his magic to turn Paolo’s into the world’s highest-grossing restaurant per square foot in 1987?

1 LOAD UP ON KNOWLEDGE
Whether selling a beach towel, a 747, or calamari, you can’t navigate through a sale without knowledge. I can still see Chef Adam, in glorious technicolor, as he cut and painted with pesto a fresh fillet from a whole red snapper during a food show. Michael ensured we were immersed in written descriptions, demos, and chef’s briefings, along with written and verbal testing.

2 PRACTICE PRESENTATIONS
Once armed with knowledge, it was time to practice. And, though I rarely saw a stage I didn’t like, I found my heart pounding and palms sweating when delivering a menu presentation at a pre-shift. But, not unlike enduring summer football practices back at Surrattsville High in Clinton, Maryland, all the preparation made show time a breeze. Michael’s pop quizzes were also reminders that you might be up next and had better be prepared.

3 TAKE THE SALES ROAD LESS TRAVELED
Most restaurants used the clunky steps of service approach: “greet the guest, get a drink and appetizer order, ring it up,” along with overly simplistic and presumptive upselling attempts like “Will that be Stoli or Absolut?” For Michael, a series of tactics, techniques, and presentations weaved hospitality and sales together so artfully that the differences were indistinguishable. For instance, with the greeting sequence, we were to smile and make eye contact. Warmly greet and seat guests. “Touch the table” by gracefully entering the guests’ space and moving the flowers or adjusting the salt and pepper shakers. Then, while standing in the command position, we opened with, “Welcome to Paulo’s, thank you for your patience. We have some wonderful things to offer. In addition to our complete bar service, we are featuring a Bellini with peach schnapps, peach nectar, and Champagne.” All the time, we carefully read and responded to guests’ subtle verbal and nonverbal cues.

This approach was continued for the menu tour and the grand finale dessert presentation, cordials, and coffee—and the gracious goodbye: “Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson, thank you for joining us. I’m glad you had the chance to enjoy the Ruffino Ducale Riserva Chianti, and have a great Spring break visit with your daughter here in Georgetown.”

4 SELL WITH CLASS
In the spirit of Italian dining, Michael’s overarching sales philosophy was to give guests the opportunity to “chose or refuse” a complete meal. Each item, whether it be wine, an appetizer, soup, or salad, was never to be pushed, but suggested graciously and within the context of how guests wanted to dine—whether a light bite, complete dining experience, or celebration extravaganza.

• Artfully phrase. Though there was much suspicion about scripting, Michael proved that wellconceived and graciously delivered lines were irresistible. Phrases like, “In addition to our full bar service, we are featuring ... ,” “Please allow me a few moments to tell you about five great things on our menu,” and “If you’d like to treat yourself, I wouldn’t want you to miss ... ,” are but a few examples of Michael’s gift for sales dialogue. These verbal training wheels helped hone our tableside repartee and avoid the deadly, “Can I get you a drink?” yes or no approach to selling.
• Use the “by the way” soft sell. “By the way, a great appetizer to share from our wood burning brick oven is goat cheese duck pizza” and “By the way, an excellent wine with your Penne Bolognese is Corvo Red from Sicily” are examples of how Michael taught us to sell softly. A main staple of his sales toolbox, the “by the way” was used in a variety of ways: to upsell without being pushy, offer positive alternatives, and explain benefits.
• Give a guided tour. “Not giving a tour of the menu is like going to Paris and missing the Eiffel Tower,” said Michael. “Look on the right-hand side of the menu, second item down, and you’ll find one of our finest appetizers: the homemade ravioli filled with Romano, ricotta, and fontina and tossed in a light chive butter sauce,” is an example of how we directed guests through the menu. It showed guests how the menu worked, highlighted hidden treasures, and subliminally suggested a complete meal.
• Combine verbal and nonverbal selling. Michael’s hard-and-fast rule of bringing the dessert tray to every table worked on multiple levels. First, seductively carrying the tray through the dining room enticed guests. Second, by presenting the tray, the mere sight and smell of the desserts inspired guests to impulsively order. Lastly, verbally grouping items, such as the ginger crème brulée with specific cordials like Sambuca and Frangelico along with espresso and cappuccino, sparked “permission” buying. One guest would order the key lime pie, giving another permission to have a Sambuca, resulting in a domino effect buying frenzy.

5 COACH FROM THE FLOOR
Rarely did managers listen tableside, much less give feedback from the floor. Though Michael was careful not to hover, he tuned into our every word, whether from the side station, by the pizza oven, or on the expeditor line. And the most important part was his on-the-spot feedback. “Bob, don’t forget to read the cues while giving a guided tour. The guy in the blue shirt on table 18 was interested in the ravioli, and you missed the cue and missed the sale.” Furthermore, at the end of the shift, Michael used our server reports to monitor progress. How many bottles of wine did we sell? How many desserts? He sat down with us one-onone and offered advice and insight. The way Michael listened and cared brightened our spirits and motivated us to take it up a notch.

Michael transposed the principles of selling into the world of restaurants better than anyone I’d met. His tactics were ingenious, yet simple and powerful. And they worked. He taught us not only how to sell beverages and dishes but also the art of selling ourselves. I’ll never forget how he delivered on his playful promise, “Just stick with me, and I’ll take you to the promised land.”