Once upon a time, I was searching for a new assistant to join my team.
I narrowed it down to two people.
One candidate lived close by. Right in my ‘hood. She had all the qualifications I wanted. A solid choice, for sure.
The other candidate was great, too, but she lived far away. I felt hesitant about hiring someone who wasn’t local.
I did an interview with each person. Both interviews went great.
A few days passed. I got a lovely “Thank you for the interview” card from the candidate who lived far away. I got nothing—not even a “Thank you” text—from the candidate who lived close by.
I chose the candidate who mailed the card. Not because she was more qualified or more experienced or even my top choice—initially, she wasn’t, because I had doubts about working with someone who didn’t live nearby. But in the end, I hired her simply because she took thirty seconds to jot down a note and say “Thanks.”
It was the littlest thing—but it sealed my decision.
I’ve met a lot of consultants, coaches, and entrepreneurs who’ve spent hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars hiring marketing strategists, branding experts, publicists, photographers, stylists, designers… all in an effort to get more client bookings, more sign-ups, and more sales. And that’s cool. It’s great to hire smart people. It’s great to invest in your business. I’m all for it. I do it, too.
And yet…
Isn’t it interesting to consider that sometimes, all that’s standing between you—and booking a lucrative new client—is a 3-sentence “thank you” note written on a $3 Hallmark card.
Never underestimate the power of the littlest thing.
The card. The call. The birthday that you remembered. The no-strings-attached favor. The framed photo. The signed book inscribed with a personal note. A simple, genuine “thank you.”
The littlest thing could change everything.
