This post from Seth Godin’s blog really got me thinking.

“You’re boring

Sorry, someone had to say it.

Your products are predictable. Your insights are recycled. You don’t bring surprise with you when you enter a room.

That’s why people are ignoring you.

Which used to be fine, because you could just buy attention for your brand or your company or your sales efforts. But that half-price sale on attention is now over.

The only path left is to lean out of the edge and become interesting, noteworthy and yes, remarkable.”

Feeling a bit uncomfortable reading this?  Yeah, I know, me too.  So what are we going to do about it?  Let’s take the only path left that Seth mentions and lean out of the edge.

To get a better picture of what remarkable means I looked up the definition online and found this:

- Adjective

1. notably or conspicuously unusual; extraordinary: a remarkable change.

2. worthy of notice or attention.

—Synonyms
notable, noteworthy, striking, extraordinary, wonderful, unusual, singular, uncommon.

I hesitate to use the well-worn word of innovation, but it is connected to being remarkable.

Here are two examples of innovative and out of the ordinary businesses I recently read about on Springwise.com.  One is called Panty by Post, which offers a monthly subscription of specialty underwear sent in the mail.  This is a unique combination of the subscription based business model, ease of on-line shopping, and luxury.

The other company, Soup Cycle, delivers organic soup on a weekly basis by bicycle to your home or office.  An original blend of a subscription based business model, organic, sustainable, and sourcing as well as selling the product locally.

Wondering why you should bother being remarkable?  Remember that being remarkable motivates people to talk about you and your business.  Which leads to more clients and growth in your business.

Being remarkable is about creating a unique and unforgettable experience.  In the book The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore they state, “…companies stage an experience whenever they engage customers, connecting with them in a personal, memorable way.” It’s about “acting with intention” so that there is meaning in the things you do.

If I asked five people who know you well what makes your business extraordinary what would they say?  If you don’t know, go ahead and ask them.

Think about the last time you yourself experienced a ‘wow’ from another business.  Is there something from that experience that gives you ideas?

You can create the experience you want your clients to have.  What can you do that no one else is doing?  What is something unexpected and delightfully surprising that would make your clients say, ‘Wow – that’s amazing?’ or ‘I’ve never experienced that before!’

How can your business be remarkable?  Think about these things:

Your products or services

- Change the format or structure

- Create a new combination

- Introduce new packaging

Who your clients are

- Different gender

- New age group

- An alternative industry

- Include a new geographical location

The way you deliver your products or services

- Location

- Timing

- Method

- Pricing

The way you interact with your clients

- Change or add a channel you use to communicate

- Change the frequency of communication

- Change the reason for communication

- Create a way for them to interact with you and each other

Forget about how you have done things in the past and start from scratch.  Design your products, services, and processes with the goal of delivering a ‘wow’ and see what comes up. 

I don’t have specific answers about how you can make your business remarkable; this will require some focused thinking on your part.  You can do it on your own or find another business owner who shares the vision of having an incomparable business and brainstorm together. You can also hire a coach or consultant.

I hope you’re feeling inspired to take this challenge on with a vengeance and discover ways to make your business remarkable!

(If you want to read more about how to be remarkable from Seth Godin, who is quoted above, click here).

© Stephanie Ward, 2010

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ‘7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com/.

As a business owner I know you are working very hard in your business, serving clients and staying on top over everything else that needs to be managed.

But what if all the hard work you are currently doing is not necessarily the most effective way to grow your business?

A solid business is built around a business model that works.  If you think you have a great business model in place then it will only take a few minutes to confirm that this is the case. 

If you aren’t quite sure if your business model is functioning optimally, now is the perfect time to give it a quick check-up and find out.

When I talk about your business model I simply mean the way your business makes money.  Think about these basic components:

* Your business offer products and services

* You sell them for a certain price

* A certain number of people buy them (once or even better, repeatedly)

* You deliver them in a certain way (in person, electronically, third party, etc.)

Why not revisit your business model to see if there are a few ways you can change it.  This doesn’t have to be complicated, simply take a piece of paper and a pen or open a new file on your computer.

Write down all the products and services your business currently offers, the price for each, how many clients you have who purchase each offer and how frequently.  Total this up, subtract your costs, and see if this structure is going to bring you the financial results you want. 

Now imagine how many different ways you can upgrade your business model to attract more business and leverage what you already have.

Get creative and try out several combinations of products and services.  Here are some ideas:

- Perhaps you can add something new, additional revenue streams.

- You can also think about increasing the amount of what you already deliver.

- Or maybe at this point it’s even best to remove a part that isn’t profitable.

- Consider changing the way you deliver your products and services.

- What if you didn’t change a thing except to increase the prices (speaking or pricing, when is that last time you increased the prices for your products and services)?

Let’s use the business model of a consultant as an example.

CURRENT BUSIENSS MODEL

Product/Service: Consulting services delivered by the consultant alone

Price: Per hour

Clients: One at a time full time or two to three part-time

Delivery: In person

UPDATED BUSINESS MODEL

Product/Service: Consulting in person delivered by the consultant, additional consultants working for you, speaking, selling intellectual property (an ebook, audio, or other information product)

Price: Consulting per project (and part of the fee for consultants working on behalf of the consultant), speaking per event, intellectual property per item

Clients: Many at one time

Delivery: In person, automated (via the internet)

Are you starting to see the possibilities for your business?  Renewing your business model can re-inspire your enthusiasm for what you do as well as increase your desire for marketing your business.

A healthy business model is the foundation for a successful business.  Take time to examine your business model and make sure it is the strongest it can be.

With a few simple changes, you will probably make more money and you may even find that you don’t have to work as hard to do so.  Now who doesn’t want that!

© Stephanie Ward, 2007

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.

As a business owner you have all kinds of ideas about what products and services you want to offer to your clients.  If you’re like me, you probably think about it a lot.

The question is, do your clients really want what you are offering?  Are you meeting their needs and helping them with the issues that are most important to them?

Imagine being able to see inside of your client’s brains and know what they are thinking.  It is actually possible and you don’t have to be a mind reader.  The way to find out is to ask!

Yes, the ultimate marketing source is each of your clients.  They know better than anyone what they want and need.  It seems obvious yet many business owners don’t ask their clients specific questions about how they can best serve them.  To get you started, here are some examples.

You can ask your clients questions about:

- Existing products and services

- New products and services

- The biggest obstacles they face

- What might be missing from your offer

So now you know what you want to find out, but how do you do it?  There are many ways to ask your clients are thinking.  Here are some ideas to get you started.

You can:

* Call them yourself

* Hire a third party to call them

* Send them a survey in the mail

* Create an on-line survey (Survey Monkey offers a free option and has a helpful demo)

Since you are asking your clients to spend a few minutes of their time, it is normal to give them a reason to answer your questions.  What could you give to your clients as a way to say thank you for their willingness to share their insights with you?

What about:

> Offer to include everyone who answers into a lottery to win a valuable prize

> Give valuable information to everyone who completes the survey

> Offer a discount on future purchases to people who respond

Ready to stop guessing what your clients need and find out directly from them what they really want?  First, think about the best questions you can ask.  Questions that will reveal information that you will be able to use to create products and services that will really help your clients.

Next, take a look at your client base and decide on the best method to use to ask them your questions.  Then offer your clients something in exchange for their cooperation.  Once you have the results of your survey, analyze it and create something your clients are really waiting for!    

(c) 2006

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.