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I’m writing this from Sarasota, Florida, where my wife and I attended a wonderful, memorable beach wedding this weekend. On the sand, there were cold drinks, a gospel choir, and the couple’s Lakeland Terrier, elegant in a bow tie, walked down the aisle. At the reception, there was an espresso bar set up at 10 PM, a cordials table, and even a midnight snack buffet.

This got me thinking: in business, as in weddings, it’s sure easy to stand out from the crowd. Extra effort is valued and attention to detail is appreciated. Here are five ways to stand out from the crowd in your industry:

1. Deliver and demonstrate your value to prospective customers. Not advertising. Not pitches. Value!
2. Exceed expectations. Do more than you promise. Which means don’t advertise 100 percent of what you’re great at. Keep something in reserve.
3. Along the same lines, pleasantly surprise. “Wow, I didn’t expect that!” are the words of budding evangelist members. They are words that precede revenue and referrals.
4. Thrill one customer at a time, and don’t hesitate to let your other members and prospects know about it. See the Wife-said-no-Apple-said yes story.
5. Be dependable. Hit your marks. Keep your promises. Simple stuff, but the environment is such that even consistently executing on the basics will elevate you above the noise.

Be compelling. Be simple. Demonstrate value. Ironically, with the Internet and social media giving everyone a relatively equal platform, it has never been easier to rise above the din.

The Evangelist Marketing Minute is a weekly thinking launch point that is always short enough to read in about 60 seconds. It covers technology marketing, branding, positioning, language, and public relations. Your email address is never shared, with anybody, for any reason.

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