Noticed Once, Never Forgotten.

When the going gets tough, businesses tend to play safe. When the going gets tough, it paradoxically becomes easier to stand out if you are brave enough to make yourself different. When the going gets tough and the competition is playing safe because of financial worries and reduced budgets, you can be frugal and still stand out.

The photo above is taken from a pdf of all the interns who worked with Seth Godin this summer. He featured it on his blog and thereby gave them a great platform to sell themselves. The one page that stood out (and not just to me) was the one that didn't list their qualities and skills, but just took the opportunity to say thanks. Being different got her noticed.

In similar vein, I know that Iain Tait is worth listening to, be it over a beer or at a conference or, ideally, both simultaneously. But so will anyone who reads this bio. I'm pretty sure it was written specifically for this conference, but it's so different from the other dreary ego-puffs that he will inevitably be noticed before he's even uttered a word.

Both people realised you have to be noticed before you can be missed.