In the current generation of business being unique is a top priority to getting noticed. Each day some new story comes out about some creative marketing plan that takes the cake and drives huge traffic to a business. The Taco Liberty Bell April Fool’s joke or Verizon’s real life ‘Can You Hear Me Now?’ promo can only be described as unique. If a business is to survive and thrive making an effort to be unique is a must. Whether you pull of unique marketing stunts, have products which need no introduction or style yourself as an innovative CEO, having a defining quality is what customers will notice.
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1) Mass Customization
I am the founder of StoryLeather.com and we specialize in custom making leather wallets and phone cases for customers who are out looking for something that's personalized and very unique. We offer customers over 100 different leather colors and textures to choose from and over 100 other customizable attributes and product styles to creates hundreds of millions of possible combination. In another word, every item that we produce for each customer tends to be unique, and they are all individually handmade to specifications. No one on the market is that crazy to offer mass customization with that many choices and selections, it makes for a logistic nightmare for most companies willing to attempt. The fact that we can handle this complexity and grow makes us very unique in my opinion.
Thanks to Jerry Lee, StoryLeather.com!
2) Interviewing Employees
We differ from other businesses in that when an employee has difficulty with their work we interview the employee and ask them what they like and dislike about their position, [and] ask them to be very forthright. Oftentimes, we'll find that a particular position isn't the right fit for that individual at all. And once we receive their feedback, most times, we realize that they need a new position altogether. This has actually been a powerful exercise for us because we have created new positions, which previously didn't exist, after learning about a struggling employee's dream role.
Thanks to Beau Hale of AdBoom Group, Inc!
3) Passion Meets Action
When I started thinking about names for my company, I found that the process was taking a very long time. I couldn't figure out if I wanted my name associated with the company or if I wanted it to be catchy and cool. Since my passion and business is marketing, I asked myself what other terms meant marketing without saying it. I connect with people, and I connect people to solutions – a link! The main reason I stand out in the marketing industry though, is for my passion for the work and dedication to my clients. If you ask anyone I'm a fiery, unstoppable leader and an obvious Leo. So in merging the two most important facets of my business, Lion LinQ was born. We're a company who partners with our clients as if we're on their team marketing their company like it's ours. We respect small business owners who need to make a living and we educate them on how to make that happen.
Thanks to Lori Kaye, Lion Lion Q!
4) Our Approach & Business Model
Know many ghosts? My business focuses on them – ghostwriters, ghost tweeters, ghost influencers – you name it. We work behind the scenes to create media relations magic for clients. It's not PR or content marketing or anything neatly categorized, really – it's growth hacking at its most basic. It's digital disruption. And it works pretty marvelously. We're not only unique in our approach – but in the business model as well, acting as intrapreneurs in a small business setting and growing individual brands beyond ghosting – encompassing varied endeavors that include avatar clothing design, life coaching and a card company (to name a few). And we're entirely virtual. It's a win-win all around, but it takes a very specific, success-driven personality to succeed. Fortunately, we've found each other!
Thanks to Mary C. Long, Digital Media Ghost!
5) Monopoly Meets Wolf of Wall Street
My name is Samir Lyons, creator of Daytrader: A Financial Board Game where Monopoly meets the Wolf of Wall Street. As I was reviewing my online portfolio I was filled with a sense of excitement, as if I was playing a game (granted, it was a good day) and I wondered at that moment why no had created a game about the stock market. After I looked into it, the few games I found about investing were either outdated, or extremely difficult to understand, even for someone familiar with investing like myself. So, I took on the challenge to create a game for the modern age, about the stock market that even a 10 year old could understand and have a blast playing. After hundreds of revisions, and a kickstarter campaign Daytrader was manufactured and self-published by my company, Lyon Works. Today, we sell it with a number of retailers and online. Daytrader is not only extremely fun (and volatile) it carries an educational twist as it exposes players to the basic concepts of finance and investing.
Thanks to Samir Lyons, Daytrader!
6) Price Protection Policy
Our customer Price Protection Policy makes us unique in the travel industry. If you reserve a spot on one of our tours, and we later lower the price, we will make up the difference for you by writing you a check. We do not penalize our customers for booking early, so they can reserve a vacation with confidence that the price will not get any better (lower) for that particular date. Travelers have become all too accustomed to trying to wait for the perfect time to book and then inevitably feeling dismayed when the price is lowered at the last minute to fill excess capacity. We've eliminated this. Book your trip and then don't worry about having post-purchase anxiety about the price potentially being dramatically reduced.
Thanks to Greg Geronemus, smarTours!
7) Writing Quality Content
I am the Founder of an artificial intelligence startup, Wriber, that helps companies write marketing & communications content (blogs, white papers, etc.) more effectively. Existing content tools are focused on syndicating, curating, or providing analytics on content. They do not help write content nor care about the quality of the content itself. You can’t use artificial intelligence (on its own) to write a white paper but you can use it to build and develop persuasive arguments – and that's what we do.
Thanks to John Zupancic, Wriber!
8) My Dad
In 2009, my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. As a result, I have started my own non profit organization, Fighting Parkinson's Foundation Inc. I pondered the idea of formulating an exercise model that could help lessen the progression of the disease using a combination of boxing (non-contact), cycling, and yoga. The research has been beneficial as a single sport intervention but studies have not yet been conducted as an integrated exercise intervention.
Thanks to Jeffery Holmes, Fighting Parkinson's Foundation Inc!
9) Connects Physical Greetings with the Virtual World
I've called 5 continents home and studied in Australia, Holland, Argentina and Israel. I enjoyed long stints in South America, Europe and the Middle East and explored Asia for months at a time. With those experiences under my belt, I knew I wasn’t cut out for a desk job. So in 2012, I began building my creative business: Mango Salute. The brand was born from my need to communicate with his family and friends while traveling – although I had an array of tools at my disposal (Facetime, email, Skype etc), none felt like they truly made an impact or relayed the emotion in my messages. I focused on fusing the digital and physical message, and the result is an online tool allowing users to create their own ‘FineArt Cards’. I gathered a community of artists, designers, illustrators and photographers from over 30 countries to create eclectic card designs, which are showcased on the site’s gallery. Each card can be personalized with images and a message, and here’s where Mango Salute connects physical greetings with the virtual world. Users can record a video greeting, choose a favorite song or share a meaningful clip, and this is encoded on to the Fine Art Card for the receiver to watch and enjoy. Mango Salute prints its Fine Art Cards on luxury sustainable materials and delivers them directly to recipients worldwide from its printing partners across three continents.
Thanks to Ariel Resnik, Mango Salute!
10) Disruption Where There's Little
My business, Bold Blue Media Alliance, Inc., is a different business model in a field in which very little disruptive innovation occurs – politics. What makes us different is who we serve: the little guy/gal candidate; and how we fund our operations: collective donations in the form of magazine subscriptions. The idea is simple: small, lower-profile candidates usually can't afford high-level services. Our magazine subscribers offset the cost of our operations, allowing candidates to gain access to high-level services, affordably. On the technological side, we've developed a scalable system that enables our staff to effectively serve thousands of state and municipal candidates nationwide.
Thanks to Madison Paige, Bold Blue Media Alliance, Inc.!
11) With a “New Age” Metaphysical Twist
I'm probably the only owner of a chiropractic and wellness company that also incorporates organic skincare and aromatherapy with a “new age” metaphysical twist. I promote products and services that I believe in wholeheartedly, regardless of what the norm might think, because I am far from the norm.
Thanks to Stephanie Adams-Nicolai!
12) The First & Only
Profitability Revolution Paradigm is the first and only Internet TV network that broadcasts news, strategies, and information that matters to small businesses 24/7/365 on any Internet Connection, mobile or desktop.We also have the largest (and growing) small business “How To” video library with answers to HR, sales, marketing, financial, and operational questions that wake entrepreneurs up at 3 AM.
Thanks to Ruth King, Profitability Master!
13) Numerous Things
We provide marketing, public relations and advertising services all under our brand. We also have an Online news source and Radio Podcast under our brand to help generate buzz and promote our clients. In addition, our originally designed Double Blast Marketing techniques strategically brands our clients throughout the world in a matter of minutes.
Thanks to Daril Bonner, DARIL BONNER PR!