I think the essence of the question is being lost. I read the question as; what have I done, what lengths have I gone to to secure a deal (contract/agreement) or get a new client. The value of relationships has been mentioned, clearly a key and valued principle in all of our businesses I am sure. Almost everything I do is based on building a strong and lasting relationship. From this I get referrals, nearly 75% of my business is from referrals. I do believe that there are times when we do that extra thing that makes a difference in the early or initial contacts that we make. If I am meeting with a potential client at my office and I know they like Starbucks coffee, then I have Starbucks coffee. Is it a big thing? No not at all in the overall scheme of things, is it a big thing in the mind of the prospective client, usually yes and more than we realize.

I have been invited to do a keynote and my message for that group included a handout that I always use for that particular talk. I had the cover redone with their name on it in a key spot on the cover. Is this a big deal? No not in the overall scheme of things, but it showed a creative and caring approach to detail and my desire to connect with the audience in as powerful way as possible. By the way this led to 2 new clients from that talk, they actually mentioned that they were impressed with the extra attention that was paid to add that extra touch and professionalization.

These examples are not my biggest or most extreme. My point is that we can all add something extra to what we do that makes us stand out and we should. We are all unique in our own ways, we all have a USP and a way that we brand ourselves in the marketplace. I give this part of my business a lot of attention and it pays off over time. There are hundreds or thousands of people that do what we do, so why us? Why pick you or me? I am in constant pursuit of answering that ever changing question. The market is fluid, it is ever evolving. Because of that some of my structural things stay foundational  and in place and others stay fluid and responsive to the market.