e best that you’ll find in any coffee shop. Instead of being asked what paint you want, you are asked whether you’d like an espresso, latte, or mocha. Then, as you leisurely sip your coffee, you have the chance to talk with friendly and knowledgeable employees about your project. You feel like you’re having a conversation with a neighbor over the back fence rather than speaking with a salesperson.

Clearly, in our hyper-competitive age, we need to make sure that our products and services are as good as or better than the competition. Yet, to create positive buzz, we must give customers a reason to talk favorably about our companies.

Think about the companies outside your

"It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), British novelist and author of the Sherlock Holmes series

The smallest little things we do in our business can mean the difference between positive and negative buzz.

On a recent trip to the mall, I stopped for a frozen yogurt snack at a TCBY stand. When I asked for a cup of tap water to accompany my yogurt, the counter person said, "I'll have to charge you 25 cents for the water." When I did a double-take, she said with a look of embarrassment, "Oh, I'm so sorry that I have to charge for water…but that’s what the owner wants."

I’ve always loved TCBY frozen yogurt, but this left a bitter taste in my mouth. I couldn’t stop thinking that a paper cup of tap water must cost only a few pennies. The profit margin on a cup of frozen yogurt is surely generous, so why would a business owner charge for tap water?

Of course, I didn’t pay for the water and instead walked to the nearest drinking fountain. I'll never go back to that TCBY stand since its water policy is ridiculous. Furthermore, I would never recommend the business. In fact, I’ve become a source of negative buzz.

As business people, we spend a lot of resources attracting and pleasing customers. It’s comforting to think that happy customers will tell their friends about our companies when we excel in providing products or services. However, to create positive buzz, we must find ways to go beyond the ordinary.

In contrast, there is a shop in Portland, Oregon called Mio Gelato. They make gelato that rivals some of the best that I’ve tried in Italy, and their counter people are friendly and gladly offer as many free samples as you want. It is the attention to details that makes Mio Gelato stand apart from the competition.

The display cases are beautiful, and each gelato flavor is artfully displayed with an appropriate key ingredient such as a fresh peach or a single coffee bean. The bathrooms are tastefully decorated and immaculate. And, in stark contrast to TCBY, you don’t have to ask for water. Instead, there is a lovely glass jug of ice water on the counter with an arrangement of tall glasses next to it. And, of course, there is no charge for water.

As another example, one of our clients, Chromatix Paints in Portland, offers an innovative selection of top quality paints and architectural finishes. Chromatix is competing against paint businesses that have been around for over a century. To offer great paint is not enough. Rather, Chromatix stands apart from other stores when it comes to customer service.

When you walk into the Chromatix showroom, you see an espresso bar that rivals the best that you’ll find in any coffee shop. Instead of being asked what paint you want, you are asked whether you’d like an espresso, latte, or mocha. Then, as you leisurely sip your coffee, you have the chance to talk with friendly and knowledgeable employees about your project. You feel like you’re having a conversation with a neighbor over the back fence rather than speaking with a salesperson.

Clearly, in our hyper-competitive age, we need to make sure that our products and services are as good as or better than the competition. Yet, to create positive buzz, we must give customers a reason to talk favorably about our companies.

Think about the companies outside your

ays loved TCBY frozen yogurt, but this left a bitter taste in my mouth. I couldn’t stop thinking that a paper cup of tap water must cost only a few pennies. The profit margin on a cup of frozen yogurt is surely generous, so why would a business owner charge for tap water?

Of course, I didn’t pay for the water and instead walked to the nearest drinking fountain. I'll never go back to that TCBY stand since its water policy is ridiculous. Furthermore, I would never recommend the business. In fact, I’ve become a source of negative buzz.

As business people, we spend a lot of resources attracting and pleasing customers. It’s comforting to think that happy customers will tell their friends about our companies when we excel in providing products or services. However, to create positive buzz, we must find ways to go beyond the ordinary.

In contrast, there is a shop in Portland, Oregon called Mio Gelato. They make gelato that rivals some of the best that I’ve tried in Italy, and their counter people are friendly and gladly offer as many free samples as you want. It is the attention to details that makes Mio Gelato stand apart from the competition.

The display cases are beautiful, and each gelato flavor is artfully displayed with an appropriate key ingredient such as a fresh peach or a single coffee bean. The bathrooms are tastefully decorated and immaculate. And, in stark contrast to TCBY, you don’t have to ask for water. Instead, there is a lovely glass jug of ice water on the counter with an arrangement of tall glasses next to it. And, of course, there is no charge for water.

As another example, one of our clients, Chromatix Paints in Portland, offers an innovative selection of top quality paints and architectural finishes. Chromatix is competing against paint businesses that have been around for over a century. To offer great paint is not enough. Rather, Chromatix stands apart from other stores when it comes to customer service.

When you walk into the Chromatix showroom, you see an espresso bar that rivals the best that you’ll find in any coffee shop. Instead of being asked what paint you want, you are asked whether you’d like an espresso, latte, or mocha. Then, as you leisurely sip your coffee, you have the chance to talk with friendly and knowledgeable employees about your project. You feel like you’re having a conversation with a neighbor over the back fence rather than speaking with a salesperson.

Clearly, in our hyper-competitive age, we need to make sure that our products and services are as good as or better than the competition. Yet, to create positive buzz, we must give customers a reason to talk favorably about our companies.

Think about the companies outside your

heir friends about our companies when we excel in providing products or services. However, to create positive buzz, we must find ways to go beyond the ordinary.

In contrast, there is a shop in Portland, Oregon called Mio Gelato. They make gelato that rivals some of the best that I’ve tried in Italy, and their counter people are friendly and gladly offer as many free samples as you want. It is the attention to details that makes Mio Gelato stand apart from the competition.

The display cases are beautiful, and each gelato flavor is artfully displayed with an appropriate key ingredient such as a fresh peach or a single coffee bean. The bathrooms are tastefully decorated and immaculate. And, in stark contrast to TCBY, you don’t have to ask for water. Instead, there is a lovely glass jug of ice water on the counter with an arrangement of tall glasses next to it. And, of course, there is no charge for water.

As another example, one of our clients, Chromatix Paints in Portland, offers an innovative selection of top quality paints and architectural finishes. Chromatix is competing against paint businesses that have been around for over a century. To offer great paint is not enough. Rather, Chromatix stands apart from other stores when it comes to customer service.

When you walk into the Chromatix showroom, you see an espresso bar that rivals the best that you’ll find in any coffee shop. Instead of being asked what paint you want, you are asked whether you’d like an espresso, latte, or mocha. Then, as you leisurely sip your coffee, you have the chance to talk with friendly and knowledgeable employees about your project. You feel like you’re having a conversation with a neighbor over the back fence rather than speaking with a salesperson.

Clearly, in our hyper-competitive age, we need to make sure that our products and services are as good as or better than the competition. Yet, to create positive buzz, we must give customers a reason to talk favorably about our companies.

Think about the companies outside your

immaculate. And, in stark contrast to TCBY, you don’t have to ask for water. Instead, there is a lovely glass jug of ice water on the counter with an arrangement of tall glasses next to it. And, of course, there is no charge for water.

As another example, one of our clients, Chromatix Paints in Portland, offers an innovative selection of top quality paints and architectural finishes. Chromatix is competing against paint businesses that have been around for over a century. To offer great paint is not enough. Rather, Chromatix stands apart from other stores when it comes to customer service.

When you walk into the Chromatix showroom, you see an espresso bar that rivals the best that you’ll find in any coffee shop. Instead of being asked what paint you want, you are asked whether you’d like an espresso, latte, or mocha. Then, as you leisurely sip your coffee, you have the chance to talk with friendly and knowledgeable employees about your project. You feel like you’re having a conversation with a neighbor over the back fence rather than speaking with a salesperson.

Clearly, in our hyper-competitive age, we need to make sure that our products and services are as good as or better than the competition. Yet, to create positive buzz, we must give customers a reason to talk favorably about our companies.

Think about the companies outside your

e best that you’ll find in any coffee shop. Instead of being asked what paint you want, you are asked whether you’d like an espresso, latte, or mocha. Then, as you leisurely sip your coffee, you have the chance to talk with friendly and knowledgeable employees about your project. You feel like you’re having a conversation with a neighbor over the back fence rather than speaking with a salesperson.

Clearly, in our hyper-competitive age, we need to make sure that our products and services are as good as or better than the competition. Yet, to create positive buzz, we must give customers a reason to talk favorably about our companies.

Think about the companies outside your industry that you admire. What do they do to wow their customers? Can you emulate their tactics? What can you do that will make your customers want to buzz about you?