When it comes to doing business, keeping guests is just as important as attracting guests. Therefore, special attention is always necessary to ensure your guests have an experience unlike any other. One way to help achieve that is to always leave them with a little something extra. This could be a complementary add-on service, a free travel-size retail product, or pretty much anything that lets your guest know how much you value their business...without breaking your bank of course.

Amy Drewel of American Family Insurance in Lynnwood, WA (http://www.amydrewelagency.com) recommends that even something as simple as candies can go a long way towards achieving that effect. Now many businesses do offer a candy dish so she sees this as the perfect opportunity to stand out from the crowd with a more unique take on the typical candy dish - one that not only leaves her guests with a satisfied sweet tooth, but offers her a final opportunity to connect with them as well. On every piece of candy she places a small sticker or ribbon of some sort with a witty message that leaves them with a smile on their face. Not only are the candies great for the in-store candy dish, but keep a few in your pocket and they serve as great conversation starters at networking events as well.

Here are some examples that Amy has come up with:

• Lifesavers - "Let us be your LIFE SAVER."
• Skittles - "A rainbow of discounts."
• Dots - "We DOT all the I's and cross all the T's to give you the best coverage and rates."
• Crackerjacks - "Are you looking for the PRIZE in your insurance package?"
• Whatchamacallit - "Let us explain the WHATCHAMACALLIT in your insurance."
• Popcorn - "POP on over for a comparative quote."
• Crunch - "Let us CRUNCH the numbers for better rates and coverage."
• Take 5 - "TAKE 5 minutes for a comparative quote."
• Now & Later - "We will be here for you NOW & LATER."
• Rocky Road - "Have you had a ROCKY ROAD with your insurance? Let us show you how smooth it should be."
• Extra Gum - "We'll go the EXTRA mile for you."
• Hershey Skor - "SKOR better coverage rates!"
• Smarties - "See how SMART it is to choose American Family for your insurance needs."

These lines of Amy's were so much fun to read that I had to come up with a few more myself!

• Hot Tamales - "We'll find you the HOTTEST rates around!"
• Reese's - "Yet another set of REESE'S why you should consider switching to AmFam.
• Rolo - "Competitive Rates - That's how we ROLO, baby!"
• Twix - "We've got some TWIX up our sleeve to provide you the best coverage and rates."
• Mr. Goodbar - "You can count on us to provide you with rates that are GOOD. BAR none!"
• Freedent Gum - "Other agencies can leave you with a hefty dent in your wallet, we work hard to keep you wallet DENT FREE!"

Okay, mine are probably reaching a bit...especially that last one, but you get the idea. Business doesn't HAVE to be "all business, all the time". Have a little fun with it, and never underestimate your guest's sweet tooth!