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7 Questions You Need to Know If You Want to Be a Remarkable Business

Remarkable. It’s what so many businesses aspire to be. But what does that even mean?

You’re a remarkable business when your clients are so happy with you that they’re telling everyone. Remarkable means that you did something so fantastic that you’re worth talking about! You may already know what makes you remarkable or you may not know that just yet.

Regardless, word-of-mouth marketing is responsible for $6 TRILLION in annual global sales. On top of that, about 78% of consumers are more likely to talk about favorable experiences with someone close to them at least once a week. When you look at it in a nutshell, that sure is a lot of talking.

In an overly saturated market where consumers have endless options, you have no choice but to be remarkable.

You might be wondering: How do I become remarkable?

In the article, we’re going to give you 7 questions you can use to assess how you can make your business remarkable. We’ll also look at memorable businesses that people are talking about!

1. Are you the first to do something or anything in your industry? Can you be the first to do something? If not, can you create another category to be the first in?

This is one way for a business to truly stand out. It’s the path of the pioneer and innovator who walks where no one dares tread. Some of the greatest innovators of our age have been called ridiculous or laughed at. But it’s a remarkable business that dares to take risks…to be first.

We live in a society where people always think being better is the best. Nothing can be further from the truth. We hear about people who set a record or broke a boundary or did something new, never about the people who did it better. If something is being done better, it implies that it’s already been done first. It’s old news. Don’t waste your time.

Authors Al Ries and Jack Trout put it this way: “It’s better to be first than it is to be better. It’s much easier to get into the mind first than to try to convince someone you have a better product than the one that did get there first.” Ries and Trout have a great solution to this conundrum: Create your own category where you are first.

Who did it first?

Who did it first?

So, you want to do something first. Now what? The first step that you want to take is to look at examples of those who were first. See what company did something first and broke boundaries in your industry. But don’t stop there. Look at some of the most influential companies in the world. What did they do to be first? What were some qualities of the CEOs of these companies? Create a list of these companies. Now ask yourself: What behavior or action can you imitate?

Create your own category

Create your own category

Start a meeting and do some serious brainstorming. Yes, there are categories that have already been established but categories are being created all the time. What category can you create where you can be first? Think about the greatest strengths of your business, your mission or vision statement, and what value you bring to clients. Next, think about what value your business brings to your industry. Spend some time thinking about this and see what you come up with. Figure out what that category is and actively promote it everywhere you can.

Below are two examples of instances where a business did something first and how they met with success. Effectively they are in a category of their own.

Apple

Apple is a company that needs no introduction. People the world over are familiar with its founder, Steve Jobs, who started the company in 1976.

Since then, it has flourished and paved the way for innovation. To this day, Apple is unrivaled by any other company. Among its offerings is the iPhone, which has revolutionized the way most people live their lives.

It’s one of the greatest inventions of our modern age. After it was released in 2007, it still continues to be one of the most useful technologies. All in one place, people can send text messages, receive calls, browse the internet, read e-mails, and scroll through various social media platforms. Best of all, the iPhone has Siri, an AI “personal assistant” that can answer your questions and complete tasks for you.

Throughout Job’s life, there were 241 patents associated with his name. Needless to say, he and his company were not afraid to take risks. Even though Jobs passed away, Apple continues to take risks.

Tesla
Tesla is a company that is synonymous with innovation. In 2006, they launched the roadster, an electric sports car that was powered by lithium-ion battery cells. It was the first of its kind. With just one charge, it could travel over 200 miles.

Even though Tesla is known for being a titan in the auto industry, they currently have aspirations to move beyond that. In fact, they currently have 361 patents filed. They seek to not only dominate the auto industry but also to branch out into the energy sector.

Tesla is committed to the advancement of humanity, and with Elon Musk at the helm, it’s likely they will achieve great things.

2. Are you the best at something or anything in your industry? What can you do to be the best? What has to change?

Being remarkable also means being the best at what you do. Now, you may be tempted to think that your business is already the best that it is. The truth is that every business is a work in progress. There is always something that you can do to improve your business.

Find what you are the best at.

Find what you are the best at.

As a business, it’s super important to know what you do best. If you don’t know, then you have some work to do. Have a meeting with your senior ranking staff. Ask your employees and get their input. Maybe send out a poll to the entire company. Next, you will want to ask your clients to see what you did right. Send out a survey and see what they have to say. By taking both of these actions, you should have some general idea.

Metrics

Metrics

Alright. So you know your best asset as a business. What next? Every business worth its salt should have some sort of metrics to measure against. How else are you going to measure your progress or lack thereof? If you are unsure what metrics to focus on, this is a good place to start.

Make improvements

Make improvements

Now that you have looked at some metrics, you should have an idea of what you want to improve. It could be your vision statement, your company culture, or your product. The end result is that you want to be remarkable as a business. So, what can you improve? Like we suggested previously…Call a meeting with the senior staff. Ask employees for their input. Do a SWOT Analysis. Finally, send out a survey to your clients. When you have all of this information, you can create a list of areas where you can improve.

Now, check out this business that is the best at what it does: customer service.

Amazon
Since its creation in 1994, Amazon it has come to revolutionize the world as know it. While it is famous for its ingenious business model and 2-day delivery, it is unsurpassed when it comes to customer service. In fact, its popular tagline is: “Earth’s most customer-centric company.”

What really sets Amazon apart is the fact that it is 100% customer focused! While other businesses are focusing on their competitors, Amazon has left everyone in the dust. Some of their greatest successes can be attributed to their customer service.

Jeff Bezos, the founder and former CEO, explains the company’s philosophy this way: “The best customer service is if the customer doesn’t need to call you, doesn’t need to talk to you. It just works.”

In a survey from 2021, 33% of people agreed that the best part of Amazon’s customer service is its quick response to complaints and order issues. Other great aspects are streamlined checkout process (22%), multiple delivery options (next-day, two-day, etc.) (19%), refunds processed before the return (14%), flexible/convenient return policy (12%), and order replenishment/subscription service (2%).

3. Is your offering unique and new? Can you reinvent the offering to be cutting edge? Can you productize it or bundle it into something better?

Reinvention and innovation are two ways that a remarkable business distinguishes itself. This is often most noticeable in a company’s product or service. After all, your offering is a representation of your business. If you really want to stand out in an already saturated market, you need to have the best quality product or service. How else are clients going to talk about how amazing your business is?

Unique Value Proposition

Unique Value Proposition

Your first step is to figure out the unique value proposition of your offering. What this means is that you want to have some sort of statement where you explain:

• how your product or service is unique
• what the benefits of your product or service are
• how it addresses a client’s pain points, and
• why people should choose your offering over that of a competitor.

This is something that will give you a sense of your offering’s strengths. You can also use this information to include in your marketing strategy.

Reinvent

Reinvent

If your product or service could use some reinvention, there are some great ways that you can achieve that. Go read reviews about your product. Listen to what the clients have to say, the good and the bad. Check out reviews that people have written about your competitors’ products. What are they failing to do? How can you apply that to your own product? Marketing guru, Seth Godin, offers another great suggestion: “Make a list of all the remarkable products in your industry. Who made them? How did they happen? Model the behavior (not mimic the product) and you’re more than halfway to making your own.”

Here are three examples of companies that have done some amazing things with their products.

Grove Collaborative
Grove Collaborative is trying something new. They are a brand that makes home and personal care products.

Last year they released “Peach,” a body and hair care product that is entirely plastic-free. They are dedicated to going 100% plastic-free by 2025. In doing so, their goal is to be sustainable and to do things ethically.

Their tagline is: “Move Beyond Plastic.” Famous actress Drew Barrymore is a global brand and sustainability advocate.

Netflix
Netflix had its start in 1998 as a company that rented and sold DVDs. About a year later, they added a subscription feature where consumers could rent DVDs for a certain amount of time. The best part was that you would receive your DVDs in the mail.

Things changed in 2007, when the executives made a decision to shift away from their business model. Instead, they transformed it into a streaming platform where people could access content immediately. This decision propelled Netflix to greater success. It was all because they reinvented themselves.

Wine Club
Let’s face it. People love getting more for their money. As cliched as the line is, it’s true nevertheless. The Wine Club is no exception.

For those of you who may not be familiar, the Wine Club is a subscription-based service where you receive wines at your door every month. You can get up to four bottles at $13 per bottle. The best part is that before they send you the bottles, you can fill out a “Palate Profile” so they know your preferences. You can also rate the wines you try so you can receive wine bottles that are more tailored to your taste.

Box-type subscriptions are great examples of bundling your products. Wine Club is a subscription service that has really taken off.

4. Is the experience around your client’s purchase outstanding? Are you providing value before they even buy? The consumers of today have no shortage of options. They can go wherever they want to do business. If they’re not getting what they want, they can go somewhere else.

We are past the point of simply having a great customer experience. You really need to WOW your clients if you want to truly be a remarkable business. If you want them to be talking about you…you need to give them the experience of their lives. Take this opportunity to blow them away.

Blow them away

Blow them away

Challenge yourself to exceed their expectations. Don’t just do the bare minimum. Go above and beyond when you deal with clients. If your product or service falls short of their expectations, thank them for their feedback and give them something for their pains.

Do something special for your client or prospect. Do something that is memorable so they will remember you.

If you are a manager, educate your employees in creating an exceptional client experience. Give them the tools necessary to wow your clients.

Ask for client feedback

Ask for client feedback

As a business, it’s important to know your clients’ thoughts. Openly request feedback from clients or former clients. Send out a survey and offer some sort of incentive if they fill it out. Listen to the feedback and think about how you can improve.

If you receive feedback through DMs or comments on social media or through reviews, be sure to take the time to thank your clients. Take note of what feedback you receive and what needs to be changed. Note that not all feedback will be helpful.

After you have received feedback, make sure that you answer every single client, including those who wrote reviews. Respond in a professional, personalized manner. Don’t be afraid to show your personality when responding. The key is to be respectful.

Personalize the service

Personalize the service

No client wants to feel like they’re just another number in a queue. One way you can really make them fans of your business is to personalize your client experience.

Say, for example, that you are helping a client with customer service. Remember and say their name while you interact with them. Try to understand their personality in your brief interaction. Don’t read from some script, because people can pick up on this quickly. Be natural and professional at the same time. A good company empowers its employees to take care of its clients.

Next, we are going to explore two companies that provide clients with exceptional experiences.

Zappos
If there is a company that is 100% dedicated to client satisfaction, it is Zappos.

So often we hear wonderful stories about how Zappos’ employees, called the Customer Loyalty Team, have gone above and beyond. After a best man’s shoes were delivered to the wrong location, a Zappos representative overnighted the new shoes to him just in time for the wedding. On top of that, he was given a full refund for the mix-up and upgraded to “VIP” status where he would receive free, overnight delivery for future orders.

Just like Amazon, Zappos tries to make things easy for the consumer. However, Zappos is unique in the sense that its customer service representatives have unlimited call times when assisting clients, no phone trees and scripts, and a 365-day return policy. They are all about helping the client!

Tony Hsieh, founder and former CEO of Zappos, once said: “Our philosophy has been that most of the money we might ordinarily have spent on advertising should be invested in customer service, so that our customers will do the marketing for us through word of mouth.” With a philosophy like this, it’s little wonder that people are talking about Zappos.

Virgin Atlantic
Richard Branson, the founder and former CEO of Virgin Atlantic, has famously said: “Every complaint is a chance to turn a customer into a lifelong friend.” If there is anything he knows, it’s how to make clients happy.

There was once a passenger traveling from Mumbai to Heathrow Airport. He wrote a complaint to Branson about the bad meal on the flight. This is the interesting part because Branson was listening. He invited the passenger to join Virgin Altantic’s food advisory board. The passenger accepted the invitation.

The biggest takeaway here is that a remarkable business doesn’t just placate clients. It listens to them and takes action when necessary.

5. Do your clients and prospects know exactly what it will be like working with you BEFORE they buy? Do you show that?

When it comes down to it, your clients and prospects should always know what to expect. If you keep them informed, there will be no surprises. Educating your clients about your services and the process will go a long way to put them at ease.

List all your services

List all your services

All your services should be on your website. From the moment you first interact with your prospects and clients, they should know what product or service you offer. You should have some sort of detailed menu providing them with all of the information. This would also be a great instance to show them your portfolio as well. This way they can see what you do and the high quality of your work.

Break everything down

Break everything down

If you have a complicated product or service, this can really go a long way. It would be helpful to prospects and clients if you broke the product or service down for them. Have a document on hand that you can send to them that already does this. Have information up on your website. Alternatively, it would be great to have some sort of demonstration video that breaks everything down. This way you can send it to your prospect or client. Better yet, put it on your website or on social media.

Below are two companies that are transparent with clients and prospects. They always know what to expect.

Starbucks
Sure, America may run on Dunkin’. But no one does coffee like Starbucks. When it comes to fancy coffee drinks, they have no equal.

All over the globe, Starbucks is renowned for its high-quality products and casual coffeehouse atmosphere.

If you access their website or app, you can see the full array of products that they sell.

Most people know what to expect when they walk into a Starbucks. They wait in line. They are greeted warmly by a barista before placing their order. They grab their drink and go on their way.

Starbucks is also consistent with its coffee. The coffee has the taste you always expect it to, and it is always high-quality. Starbucks trains employees to make exceptional coffee drinks. They are even educated about the origins of coffee beans.

Amazon
For a moment, let’s revisit Amazon. We talked about the wonderful customer service. However, it’s also important to mention the client experience.

Amazon actively promotes its subscription service, Amazon Prime, where people can get all kinds of cool perks. You can stream all sorts of movies and shows, including Amazon originals. You get a free book at the beginning of every month. There are even songs on Amazon Music that you can listen to if you’re a member.

Although, the best part is the next-day or two-day delivery. We weren’t kidding when we said that Amazon revolutionized the world. With Amazon Prime, people can order items from the comfort of their homes only to have them delivered tomorrow or the next day. This is something that people have come to fully expect, and Amazon rarely disappoints.

The greatest takeaway here is that Amazon has everything spelled out on its website. It explains in detail about the services it provides and how everything functions.

6. Is it fast and easy for people to know what your value is and easily communicate it with no coaching?

With a remarkable business, the value will always be obvious. This should also be the case with your own business. You should know what your value is. How else are you going to communicate it to prospects?

Create a list

Create a list

This probably seems obvious but this is a great starting point. Host a meeting and have your employees brainstorm about your best qualities. Do a SWOT Analysis to figure out your greatest strengths. Once you have created a list, go through it and choose the five best strengths. You can use these strengths in your marketing material. Put them on your website.

Client Testimonials and Surveys

Client Testimonials and Surveys

Do you know that prospects are far more likely to listen to testimonials from current or former clients? In recent years, consumers have lost some trust in businesses, especially when there are some that do underhanded practices. The best way to combat this is by having your current or former clients give a testimonial. This can be in written form or filmed as a video.

Another thing that you can do is send out a survey to your current and former clients. Have them choose from six or seven positive qualities. Keep track of those that rank in the top three. You can use this information to promote your value to prospects. Finally, put all of this information on your website.

Now that we’ve discussed your company’s value, let’s look at two companies that excel in this department.

Google
Let me just google that. How often do we say that?

Since being founded in 1997, Google has become one of the greatest companies of our time. It is currently worth $16.44 billion! On top of that, we use “google” as a verb now, as a synonym for “search.”

Over the years, Google has proven itself to be the best and most accurate search engine out there. 4.3 billion people the world over use Google.

In addition to the search engine, Google offers Google Workspace, useful software for businesses. This includes: Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Docs Editors, and Google Meet. They have also branched out into the education field with Google Classroom.

It’s obvious from Google’s previous progress that it will continue to grow. As far as we go, there is no doubt that Google is one of the most valuable companies out there.

Visa
Visa is one of the largest digital payment systems in the world. As an international company, its name is heard nearly everywhere. In 2021, there were 3.8 billion Visa cards in use all over the world. If we consider the fact that credit cards first came onto the scene in 1959, how we handle money has changed so much.

What really is valuable about Visa is the fact that it can be used almost everywhere. It can be found in 200+ countries and at over 100 million merchant locations. In fact, 59% of people have stated that they prefer to use debit or credit cards to pay. Some people even say that digital payment systems are the future. Nevertheless, Visa is so popular because it is convenient and easy for cardholders. All they have to do is take out the plastic card instead of having to deal with the paper money and coins. With a company like Visa, there is no doubt what its greatest value is.

7. Is your brand positioning targeting only people you know are your ideal clients? You’ll never appeal to everyone, so try to deeply appeal to your ideal audience only.

The fact of the matter is that you can’t appeal to every single person on the planet. There are some people who will love your message and there are others who will ignore it. It’s actually more profitable for a business to know what its target audience is. Why? Because it will help you tailor your content to your ideal audience.

Create a persona

Create a persona

This is a must for any business out there. If you don’t have something like this already written, then you have work to do. Call a meeting and spend some time discussing your ideal audience. What is that person like? What do they do? Why are they your ideal audience? What about your product or service appeals to them? Take some time and create a couple personas for your brand. This way, you will be able to tailor your content to the right people.

Understand Your Ideal Audience

Understand Your Ideal Audience

You may be tempted to think: Isn’t this the same thing as creating a persona? Not exactly. The point here is to emphasize the fact that people are different. Not everyone will fit the ideal audience persona exactly, and that’s okay. The point here is to understand where your client is coming from. Try to understand who they are as a person. No person wants to buy from a business that ignores this essential point.

Take a look at these two businesses that know their target audiences in and out.

L.L. Bean
L.L. Bean is known all over America for its simple clothing and outdoor gear. There are many commercials showing people dressed in their casual clothing as they go canoeing with friends or camping with their family. The message is always the same. They are a business that celebrates what is great about the outdoors and shares it with its target audience.

But who is their target audience? They cater to people who are outdoor enthusiasts. People who need to buy sensible clothing or a tent for camping. Or, people who like high-quality boots for when they go hiking. Needless to say, L.L. Bean knows its target audience very well.

Forbes
Forbes is an industry standard. It is a global media empire with a prestigious reputation. Some of the topics it focuses on are entrepreneurship, leadership, investments, and business, among other things.

As an incredibly well-established publication, many businesspeople use this source to read well-written articles. The authors of these articles are experts in their respective fields who have a proven track record of walking the walk. That combined with the top-notch content only adds to the credibility of Forbes.

Conclusion

Conclusion

We hope that you learned something helpful in this article. We provided you with seven questions to consider when assessing your own business and product. In addition to that, we gave you some action items to try, using examples from successful companies to take inspiration from.

Do you have any thoughts or questions to share? We’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts or comments below.

Tagged as branding, marketing, social marketing