On Tuesday, the radio-alarm goes off at 5 AM. The BBC news keeps me company as I slip into my clothes and bumble into the dimly lit kitchen. Today is early morning circuit training at the gym, a short 5-minute drive away. My husband and I usually go together, but he's still in Seattle. I eat part of an orange, grab my water bottle and duffel bag and head to the car, carefully shuffling across the icy driveway.

At the gym, or should I say, the Kodiak Athletic Club, I pull on my black, fingerless gloves and tighten the velcro flaps around my wrists. Looking up, I see Lindsay Knight, our fearless leader for the morning workout, holding a single white flower. "This is for you. Happy Valentine's Day."

That day, Lindsay presented every woman who came to the gym with a flower. "I just wanted to do it," he told me later that morning. "Besides, for some women it might be the only flower they get for Valentine's Day."

Lindsay's gesture has a name: Lagniappe. A Cajun word, "lagniappe" (LAN-yap) means "a little bit extra." Lindsay didn't have to give out flowers, but one thing is certain, he made more than one woman feel special that day (and the 15-pound weights a little lighter) with a simple delight factor. And you can bet each one of those ladies told someone about the surprise gift.

You tend to remember a business that do a little bit extra: placing a special mint on your pillow, giving a ride to the airport, or slipping an extra pear in your grocery bag. Lagniappe is more than handing out free samples. As Roy H. Williams of The Wizard Academy puts it, "Appealing to the emotions rather than the intellect, the delight factor is a powerful thing."

Word of mouth advertising: You couldn't ask for anything better. If you had a choice between two similar businesses, but one with employess that, say, greeting you by name or handed you a flower on Valentine's Day, which one would you choose?