Memorable Over-the-Top Crazy Gestures Could Explode Your Business

I had one of those days yesterday.

One of my thanksgivings was that despite all evidence to the contrary, my children couldn't be sick forever. I am having to work very hard to continue to hold to that belief.

• After 10 days of antibiotics, my 4 year old daughter still has a sinus infection and strep.
• My mom came to visit for the first time in 2 years, got off the plane, and promptly developed bronchitis and a sinus infection.
• On the same day, I developed a head cold.
• My 9 year old son is now developing his own cold.
• Meanwhile, my 6 year old daughter seems to have developed a semi- permanent (or perhaps convenient?) stomach ache.

So although I am certain that the sickness won't be here forever, it has not been much fun around here.

Then it went from bad to worse.  A bad day isn't a bad day without financial stress, is it? We (my lovely, wonderful wife and I) had a miscommunication and I failed to deposit money from our business account into our personal account. With medication (remember my daughter's strep?), and buying Christmas gifts for our kids on behalf of my in-laws (we were doing them a favor), etc., etc., we had developed a sudden cash flow problem in our personal checking account (read...oh crap!). Although, I'm certain this scenario has never happened to you, actions needed to be taken to alleviate the rapid fire charges the bank was dropping on my head. Still wearing my exercise clothes, I ran out to the bank to deposit the necessary funds. Problem solved.

Then I made the worst decision of my horrible, no good, very bad day. I decided to run to the post office and see if I had received any additional funds that I could deposit into my bank. I checked my box and got back in my truck to head back to my office. Then the disaster struck. I thought the car in front of me had pulled into traffic and I pulled forward so I could see the traffic better. My first clue that my belief about the car in front of me was incorrect was when my truck suddenly stopped after bumping into the car (read...oh crap!). We pulled around the corner and I began to collect my insurance information with that sinking feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach (I must have caught that from my daughter).

And then the most amazing thing happened. The man I had hit walked up to my car with a smile on his face. He said, "You know I know you didn't need this today and neither did I. I've got an old car. Why don't we just call it a day?" Despite the large gouges in his bumper, after talking for a bit and checking his lights, Don just drove off. He made a memorable, over-the-top, crazy gesture that I will never forget.

After his a memorable, over-the-top, crazy gesture, there is one major thing I know about Don. I know that I could completely trust him in life and business, because he is obviously concerned about the well being of others beyond himself.

I got to thinking about how that works in business. When we make a memorable, over-the-top, crazy gesture to our clients, we make a tremendous impression that goes beyond rhetoric. I have one real estate friend who drove out in the middle of a blizzard to help a client get to a closing. That was a memorable, over-the-top, crazy gesture that made a huge difference to that client. Do you think she forgot that? Another friend gave up a huge part of her commission to help a family who really needed a home. Do you think that family has ever recommended my friend as a real estate agent?

Think about the memorable, over-the-top, crazy gestures you might be able to make to your friends, neighbors, family, and clients over this holiday season. I'm going to be thinking about it because I know the reward will be much greater than the cost.

God Bless and Merry Christmas. I hope you have a great holiday. I'll be back in 2008.