Thoughtfulness in the right place and noticing the little details

I started my own shop in an empty neglected industrial building and turned it into the sweet recycled gallery boutique it is now. I have spent hundreds of hours in this space. I know every little nook and every product by heart. The funny thing is, familiarity can breed complacency. Sometimes I don't notice the cobwebs around the windows, that the front patio needs a sweep, that the rain has wiped my blackboard, the garden needs weeding or a product sign is in the wrong place. But these little details matter. Customers see them. First impressions are made.   

Earlier in the week I returned from a two day mini-vacation. We stayed in a humble guest house with a single room and bathroom. It was very affordable and conveniently located. But the reason I am booking another stay in this place, is because of all the little details that made me smile.   

As a mother to twin girls, little details in a cafe, like a simple bucket of toys matter to me. Of course good quality product keeps me returning but often it is the smaller, subtle details that make the biggest impression. Fresh flowers on a table, thoughtful reading material while you wait, a bench in the right place.  It is these little unessential things that are the easiest to do but as business owners we sometimes miss.  The little details are also the things people photograph and share. Which in a world of social media marketing, is worth paying attention to. 

  

Paying attention to the little details when running a business is important, but it equally applies to creating a lovely home and even in our daily interactions with others. A little thoughtfulness in the right place brings joy.   
 
When my shop is closed, I love to venture out. I regularly go on product sourcing road trips. I spend time visiting coffee shops, cafes, handmade shops, public parks, wandering down the main street in another town and checking out local markets. On my adventures I look for and love the little details I find. 

So today I have put together a list of a few simple little details that caught my eye. I hope this inspires you to reflect on your own business or even appreciate all the little details already in your own life that perhaps familiarity has obscured. 

So here is my little list of details:- 

Succulents in an abalone shell at a seaside cafe

 

Free duck feed in a bucket at our local brewery

 Insightful product descriptions that offer more than required 

The umbrella stand at the entrance of our guest house and adorable bunting

Cappucinno art

The little marshmallow face our local barista makes on my daughters baby cino

A free fresh drinking water station for visitors 

Painted pebbles on a market stall table that was selling leather craft

A welcome sign on the door of an artisan glass studio

The simple minimal packaging of my locally made shampoo bar

A well tended garden built in an alleyway next to a coffee shop

Clever sweet packaging of artisan made glass bead earrings

A handwritten sign that makes me want to try a piece of heavenly cake

A potted Kale plant sitting on our table, while we enjoyed a pint of beer at a pub

Sweet crochet table cloth on the front patio

Rich ambient lighting in our room at Grey Gum Lodge

Entrance way art and fresh flowers

Rustic serving of the classic scone 

Rainbow coloured louvres in a restroom 

A well designed simple wooden display for fabric earrings 

The presentation of fresh laid eggs for sale at Brisbane City farmer's market

Until next time, never lose site of the bigger picture but don't forget the little details in-between. 

xx Isabella