I’ve talked about the value of “raving fans” previously on my blog, but let’s take a moment for a quick refresher. A raving fan is a customer or client who isn’t just satisfied… but is so thrilled with the services or products that you provide that he/she can’t stop spreading the word. A raving fan is incredibly valuable, because there is literally no form of marketing that is more effective than legitimate word-of-mouth recommendations.

So what can you do to create more raving fans?

Obviously, it starts with delivering quality products and services that meet or exceed the expectations of your customers. That means not over-promising, and it means delivering consistently. But this alone doesn’t create raving fans.

One of the most effective ways to create raving fans is by getting the details right. It’s the “little” touches that take your customer experience to the next level. For instance…

Packaging. Have you ever bought an Apple product? If so, you know what I mean. Sometimes it seems like Apple takes as much time designing the packaging for their products as they do engineering their complicated devices. The result is that, every time you purchase a new product, you feel like you’re unwrapping something of incredible valuable.

Beating deadlines. There are a number of world-class companies, including Apple and Zappos.com, that take pride in beating their deadlines when it comes to shipping a product. They’ll tell you to expect delivery on Friday, for instance, and instead the product shows up on Wednesday or Thursday. And who isn’t delighted when a package shows up early?

Customer service. Many large companies struggle in this area—you probably know exactly what I mean. Have you ever spent 45 minutes on the phone, transferring from department to department in frustration before finally hanging up in frustration? This is all too common—but the good news is that it gives your business a chance to shine. Stellar customer service stands out in a world dominated by automated “help” lines and disinterested agents.

These are just three examples of “little” details that are often ignored by businesses. How many other opportunities can you find to WOW customers and create raving fans?