Small, Beautiful Details

I attended a funeral last week.

A very sad, but also joyous and memorable occasion in many ways.

The man who died was the dad of a football friend of our daughter’s.

He was only 56 and a genuinely good guy, funny, hard-working and helpful.

He is survived by four children, three of whom are under 16.

His oldest daughter gave an incredible eulogy about what their dad meant to them.

And something about it struck me. All the things the kids remembered and loved about their dad were small things. Eating jelly babies on the sofa, watching the same family movies repeatedly, and taking simple walks in the woods. Not grand gestures, but small, beautiful details.

It reminded me of something I heard at another funeral a few years ago. My uncle’s. The priest, acknowledging the care the family had taken over every aspect of the service, said a line that has stuck with me ever since: ‘Attention to detail is an act of love.'”

Think about the extra effort you make at your kid’s birthday parties (especially when they’re younger).

Consider the thinking you put into wooing someone you’re hoping to get romantically involved with.

The priest’s words are profound in many ways.

The same is true at work. It’s the small, beautiful details that show we love what we do.

A mate of mine runs a successful building company and says that his best advert is a site that’s cleaned at the end of every day. Details.

At the EAN, we’ve tried (it’s a work in progress, for sure) to add as many small, well-thought-out touches as possible to our new platform for members. Details.

Think about the sleek packaging of an Apple product that makes opening it feel like a special moment. Details.

I’ve always been impressed by my business partner Nick Cheshire of Nest in Essex’s attention to the small things. The wine box, wrapped in Nest paper and signed by the whole team. The branded doormat at every viewing. The branded keyrings handed over on completion day. Details, details, details.

Now for a confession.

I knew my heart was no longer in the Estate Agent Content Club when my attention to detail slid.

I saw plenty of small areas where improvements could be made, but my love for that business had faded to the point it was kinder for everyone (apart from my bank balance) to bring it to a close.

Now I have a renewed sense of purpose and a fresh focus on the little things.

Thanks for reading.

Jerry

Rest in peace, Jason Maclean, gone far too soon.