FREE DRINK

So every month, I earn stars at Starbucks and get a free drink ...you need 15 stars to get this free drink.  I am like a kid with a new toy every time I hear the stars plink-plink in my cup on my iPhone.  I truly fee special because I have a gold card that is now registered to the Starbucks app on my phone.  I know that there are most likely millions of gold card holders....this one is embossed with my name!  I shouldn't feel special.....and yet I DO!

I often think about how excited I get....I even plan my out-of-office meetings at the most convenient Starbucks just so I can take advantage of this app on my iPhone.  I wonder the following things:

1. am I out-there crazy?
2. am I loyal to a particular location or is it the overall organization?
3. am I making too much from this adventure I get to take part in everyday (almost!)?

and then I compare it to my own business....

1. do I incite this type of loyalty?
2. how can I ensure that I create advocates that drive my brand for me?
3. what do I do to make sure that my clients feel special?  Not only my clients, but everyone with whom I come into contact?

This is the key to driving business success.....making people feel special.  Ensuring it is genuine and letting them know that they are valued (my gold stars!  ok.....I was a closet gold star collector in grade school).  It's the feeling that people get when they leave your presence....what do you do to make others feel special?  Is it genuinely part of your brand or an 'I know I have to do this' feeling instead?