Sometimes, small things can have a big impact. In 2006, a fisherman in the Philippines found a very large pearl inside a giant clam. The pearl weighed nearly 70 pounds and measured 26 inches long! He put it under his bed for the next 10 years, using it as a good luck charm. After a house fire, he remembered the pearl was under his bed and retrieved it. Rather than putting it back under his bed, he shared the tale of the large pearl with his family. Someone let the word out and soon everyone wanted to get a look at it. As it turns out, this was the largest natural pearl ever discovered. It was appraised to be worth $100 million! I am reminded that pearls are formed when a single grain of sand causes a mollusk, such as a clam, to secrete a substance called nacre. Layer upon layer forms a pearl.

Small things can have a big impact on your business as well, especially when you are talking about marketing. Here are three ideas that are small actions, but will sway more customers your way

Listen to your customers

Take time to listen to what your customers are saying to you. What matters most to them? Too often we get defensive when a customer criticizes our products, services or the way we do business. If you can take a step back and listen, they will tell you what you need to do to gain and retain their business.

Take action on what you hear

Don’t just listen to your customers’ problems, solve them! Too often, people listen, but don’t act on what they hear. This is counterproductive for your marketing efforts. For instance, I get a survey from a local business every six months or so. They ask me rank my satisfaction with different aspects of their business. I have given them poor marks in specific areas. Do you know what has happened as a result of my input? Nothing! I received another survey from them this past week. I deleted it! If you don’t take action on what you are hearing from your customers, they will leave you!

Here are some questions you should ask yourself in evaluating your ability to meet customer needs.

• What are you offering currently that meets their needs?
• What do you need to do differently in order to meet their needs?
• Where is your competition failing to meet customer needs?
• What could I do that would exploit the failings of my competition to gain and keep more customers?

Market this difference. However, to get the maximum marketing impact, make sure the differences between you and your competition are actually meaningful to your customers. In other words, emphasize this difference, but verify that it matters to the customer.

Make one point stick!

In keeping with our theme about making great impact with small things, don’t get too wordy in describing all of the differences between you and your competition. It is better to pick out the biggest difference that also creates the most angst for the customer. If you market this one point where you truly can solve problems for the customer, you will have a marketing winner. Why stick to one point? It is good branding. In marketing, we know that short, succinct points are better committed to memory than long lists. It only makes sense. Your brand, attached to one difference-making point, will stick in your customers’ brains. Pick out your best foot forward and market it.

This $100 Million Pearl Is the Largest and Most Expensive in the World, by Roberta Naas, Forbes, August 23, 2016