What can a sock teach us about life and business

My daughter is a great student (just about to graduate from high school). This is why we weren’t surprised when she was recently accepted at a number of great business schools in Canada. (She wanted to study business as an undergraduate.) What was interesting however, is that except for one, most schools she was interested in DID NOT manage to leave a lasting impression on her.

Don’t get me wrong, all the schools she was interested in offered:
Nice study halls;
Good libraries;
Competent faculty;
Current curriculum framework;
Great student cafeterias; etc.

Said differently, on paper, each of these places was dedicated to being the absolute best.
But what does that mean to most people?
Can an 18-year old student objectively decide what university is the best?
Is it even possible to objectively decide what university is the best?
I guess the real question I’m asking is: how do people decide what’s best?

I believe that people’s needs change very slowly.
Of course, assuming you’re addressing the right ones.
My daughter ultimately chose the Edwards School of Business.
Why? Because they did an outstanding job at establishing a human connection with her.
How? Through a number of small touches, all of which tasted truly unique and human.
Things like this little sock on the right.
Sure, it’s a small thing, but it shows a great deal of commitment.
A commitment to engage people in a manner that reveals to them two things:
1. YOU matter; and 2. We care.

My 2¢:
Looking for big results?
Think small and see to it that your customer touch points actually touch people. Because most people want a long-term relationship. We would like our activities, even the most mundane, to add up to and build a relationship. (I apologize if you are already know this, but for a lot of people, that part is kind of like parallel parking: they really struggle with it. But just like with parallel parking, the idea is to get to the point where you are successful slightly more often than not.)

Do this consistently and you won’t have to search for customers.
They’ll search for you.
And that’s when you’ll realize that you’re not just a merchant anymore.
You’re changing the world.