In a world full of companies and organizations competing to get attention in the marketplace, striving to be “good enough” is just not good enough. Shooting for the middle of the pack is a pathway to becoming unseen or even obsolete.  With the advance of technology and access to information, consumers have numerous tools to find the “best” products that fit their needs.

Brands that are rising above their competitors have something in common. They strive to be remarkable (i.e., They work hard to make their product, service, or cause something that people are willing to make a remark about.). While other companies and organizations are focusing on traditional (well, relatively traditional) forms of marketing, these leading brands are choosing to allocate their resources differently.

Instead of using the majority of their resources to spam people about their products or send countless newsletters that very few are reading, they focus on developing a better product to share with a tribe of people that already care about what they produce. They recognize that the real power is in their true fans telling their peers about our work. As Seth Godin often alludes to, the real power of marketing is when one person tells another person about your product. This engagement does not cost us anything and it cuts through all of the spam that no one wants to receive.

In order to create an environment in which this happens regularly, here are some things you might want to consider doing:

• Identify and articulate why it matters that your product, service or cause exist. I’m not talking about just mission here (i.e., what you do and why you exist). I’m referring to the unique value add your work brings to the table. Why does your work matter? Why should I care?
• Become the best at what you do in your world. It doesn’t have to be the entire world…just your world. What are you best at? Are you irreplaceable? Spend the majority of your resources to become the best in your world at something. Being anything less than that will greatly diminish your value. Constant refinement and improvement need to become your mantras!
• Focus on creating memorable experiences for your customers or supports when they engage your work. Putting in the extra effort to put yourself in the shoes of those experiencing your efforts can become a game-changer for your work. If you were a customer or supporter, would you tell someone else about your work? Is it worth making a remark about? Be honest.
• Make it easier for your true fans to share your work. Don’t just focus on getting”out there” in hopes of more customers or supporters. Your greatest marketing power for your company or organization is right in front of you. Think about the people who already care. Are there ways you can make it super-easy for them to naturally share your story? Are you shareable?

Never underestimate the power of small increments of change towards becoming remarkable. Be sure to ask yourself each day, “What can I do today to make my company or organization remarkable?” Don’t let a day go by without making your efforts a little bit better.