It’s a sign of the times.

Driving to work recently, I noticed a ‘For Sale’ sign on a white SUV that sat on a lawn next to the road. Obviously, someone who doesn’t appreciate low gas mileage is attempting to sell the vehicle to a person who can afford to fill it up at $4.00 per gallon.

Ironically, about two miles down the road on another lawn I spotted yet another ‘For Sale’ sign on yet another SUV. This one happened to be black.

Under the heading of ‘full disclosure,’ I must admit total ignorance in telling one brand of car from another. Suffice it to say that the two vehicles looked pretty much the same to me driving by at 30 m.p.h., but with one glaring exception to my untrained eye.

The black SUV was spotless, recently shined and attractive.

The white SUV was clean but certainly not shined and, in general, rather blah. It certainly didn’t shout, “Stop and check me out! I’m beautiful.”

The wax job would have been a differentiator for me had I been in the market to buy an SUV. My reasoning is that the person who took the time to make his/her vehicle look more appealing to the passerby probably took better care of it in maintenance as well.

How does this story relate to you?

Simply this–sometimes it is the little things that make someone want to do business with you. The grocery store that has handy-wipes next to the shopping carts so that you can remove grime from the handle. A service station that makes sure that there is clean water in the window washing container. The golf course that takes the time to keep ice in the water dispensers at various tees. The waiter who brings your food out while it’s still hot. The big box store that checks to keep restrooms clean and tidy.

Your customers have a choice in choosing whom they do business with. You might be surprised at the little things you do or don’t do that play a big part in that choice.

Pay attention to the little things. They can make a BIG difference.

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