Seth Godin on being remarkable. “The thing that makes something remarkable isn’t usually directly related to the original purpose of the product or service. It’s the extra stuff, the stylish bonus, the design, or the remarkable service or pricing that makes people talk about it and spread the word.”

Word of mouth is absolutely key to your growth. What’s your strategy to become remark-able? If you have one, you are in a distinct minority. According to Jay Baer, “Fewer than 1% of all businesses have a defined word of mouth/referral strategy. Word-of-mouth is responsible for more customer acquisition than any other tactic, generally speaking, yet nobody has an actual plan for it. It’s shocking.”

How are you standing out in a sea of sameness? What are your one or two signature extras to create a differentiated experience (DX)?

CASE IN POINT: Talk to someone who has recently visited Chicago. Odds on they might tell you about visiting Cloud Gate in Millennium Park. Known as “The Bean” it contains 168 stainless steel plates welded together with no visible seams. Time Magazine describes it as “an essential photo opportunity, and more of a destination than a work of art.”

What is the one special thing your company does that is distinctive and talk-able?

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Stan Phelps walks the walk. He stands out in the sea of sameness by modeling his own Differentiated Experience (DX) message: Differentiation isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what you do and, more importantly, how and why you do it. Stan leverages his unique collection of 5,000+ case studies on customer, employee, and brand experience to engage audiences with informative learning-based experiences. He believes purposeful DX wins the hearts of employees and customers, and differentiation ultimately boosts loyalty, retention, referrals, and results.

Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.