To Be Memorable – You Must be Remarkable

I recently researched the topic of “how to be memorable” in preparation for my presentation at a retreat for RE/MAX of New York Brokers and Agents. Being memorable is critical to success for both individuals and businesses. This is the first of a series of blogs on this topic which I will delve into to gain better insight as to what makes a person memorable and relate my practical tips on how to become memorable by letting others know you are remarkable.

I have been reading, researching and watching videos, including a number of TED Talks. I also looked into the growing subject of neuro-marketing. The challenge, as I see it, is that we need to recognize the fact that our brains are programmed not to remember, but to forget. We remember things that we do over and over again such as driving, dressing and cooking. These activities eventually become habits. These habits become part of our daily routines and we don’t think about them much. We don’t need to remember every detail of every experience we have every day, every hour, every minute.

So, we have a biological challenge and we also have a real world problem. The world is changing at a very fast pace. We are constantly distracted; technology and electronic devices are in front of us all the time. We can communicate with people in dozens of ways: smart phones and phone calls, video conferences, FaceTime, emails, direct messages, text messages, videos, social media posts (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and others), two-way radios, faxes and even direct mail. We have the ability to speak directly one-on-one or in small or large groups. This is how we communicate, but we also are receivers of information from radio, TV, computers, tablets, websites, mobile devices, print materials and signs. We are bombarded with hundreds, if not thousands, of messages each day.

Information overload combined with the desire of people today to have instant gratification, in terms of what they want when they want it, has created a major challenge for businesses and individuals.  Businesses and individuals in all sectors need to be heard and seen in order to make an impression and market.  We have to get through all of these competing channels and messages to be successful and to build both business and personal brands.

I experience these challenges myself. Nowadays, it’s important to recognize that to be truly memorable, we have to be remarkable. We have to be worthy of being remembered and to achieve this we have to be different, better and interesting. In short, we must seek to be remarkable in everything we do, whether it’s customer service, selling, marketing, branding, manufacturing, leading, speaking, creating, writing or interacting with others. Each of these activities requires thought and consideration. When building a memorable brand, we may fail to meet the expectations of a client, prospect or a team or our target audiences. But we have tremendous opportunities to create memorable interactions and memorable moments that will impact how people perceive us as we begin a relationship and develop trustworthiness.

Some first steps in the process of being memorable and creating a memorable brand:

Create Your Brand Story

Daymond John of CNBC’s “Shark Tank”

Being a remarkably good storyteller is vital for your brand. Tell stories to illustrate who you are and what you stand for. Telling stories (your own story or those of others) that you can use in context will make you and your message memorable. Some of the most memorable business leaders and experts that I have ever heard were superb story tellers. Watch what others do and learn from them. There are many great speakers; go to Ted.com to see hundreds of exceptional videos. Many speakers use their own stories to make the case for their brand and what they were “selling.” Two remarkable people I saw were business woman Fawn Germer and entrepreneur and NBC Shark Tank star Daymond John. Daymond related his life story including the risks he took, the challenges he overcame as well as his regrets.

Here is a video to one of his presentations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yKHIc-RO8Q

Author Fawn Germer

Fawn Germer used her story of success to motivate and inspire. I recommend you watch this exceptional business woman and speaker.  http://fawngermer.com/

Create an outline for your personal story

Identify experiences that shaped your approaches, your successes as well as your failures. This is your story so you can add to it as you go along, but write down and capture the important chapters and use this to put who you are in context. Remember, telling stories is how you will capture attention but it is also how you will make a connection with your audience. While the story is about you, never forget that the message is not about you; it is about your audience.  Provide them what they want, not what you want.

Create a Plan for Your Brand

I regularly write and speak about creating a plan for your brand. For those people who are not marketing professionals, it may be a challenge. However, your marketing plan for your brand does not have to be overly complex.

1. Define your brand and for what you want to be known.
2. Write down why you do what you do and make this a focal point of your brand.  Being memorable is about making a connection with people and telling them the reasons why what you do is important.
3. Define what you do better than everyone else. This is your “Magic” or key differentiator. Your magic and how you communicate about it is part of why you are remarkable, worthy of being remembered.
4. Set Goals. Every marketing plan has goals.These can be financial, but they do not have to be. Goals can relate to the number of interactions you generate, the number of shares you garner, the number of new connections you make, certainly the number of leads you generate and the number of sales you close.  Remember, social media and online marketing has branding value which may not translate immediately into sales.

Marketing Infrastructure

Depending on the industry and market, businesspeople or individuals must identify the best marketing vehicles to use to reach their target audiences.

1. Identify your audiences and how they receive information and where they go for information.
2. Create your real world support materials (your marketing or PR kit).  It does not have to be elaborate. It should contain:
   1. Business card
   2. Brochures and pamphlets
   3. Educational materials
   4. Photos
3. Create your marketing video. If you do not have a personal marketing video, you are 2 or 3 years behind your competitors. Using your new brand message and story, create your first video and keep going. Create at least three videos a year.
4. Build your online infrastructure:
   1. Optimized Website
   2. Blog
   3. Social Media Sites
   4. Photo Sharing Site
   5. Video Media Sites
5. Create your print and electronic materials.

These are just the first few steps that you need to take to create and build a memorable brand.  Part II of this series will focus on the importance of creating your real world image and persona. Part III will cover your online brand and strategies for being memorable online.

As always I am looking for feedback, comments and thoughts. Let me know what you think.

For more information on this topic go to this Fast Company story that featured Bill Corbett.